07 Feb Pregnancy Foot Pain FAQ’s
With the excitement of pregnancy comes a massive amount of changes to the body – including our feet and legs. We see many women with heel, foot and leg pain during pregnancy, especially towards the end of the second and third trimester.
To help you understand what’s going on and what you can expect, we’ve answered some of the questions we are frequently asked when it comes to foot and leg pain and discomfort during pregnancy. If we haven’t included your question, let us know! We’re here to help.
1. Do feet get bigger, wider or flatter during pregnancy?
Yes! They can for some women. This is largely due to the action of a hormone called Relaxin that is produced by your body in order to help loosen the ligaments and tissues around your pelvis in preparation for childbirth. Relaxin also acts on the rest of your body – including your feet. Combined with the weight from your fast-growing baby, you get more pressure on your feet which puts pressure on the loose ligaments and so your feet may become flatter, and hence wider or longer. Many pregnant women find they go up between half a size to one whole shoe size, sometimes more.
2. If your feet get bigger, will they go back to normal after giving birth?
Maybe. While your ligaments should tighten after your baby is born and the increased amounts of Relaxin leave your body, some women do experience a permanent increase in their shoe size. We estimate that for the majority of women we regularly see and treat, their foot size does return to normal, so don’t throw out your smaller shoes just yet!
3. Is swelling in the feet and ankles normal? What can I do about it?
You’re a powerhouse during pregnancy, holding up to twice the amount of blood volume. This means that your body is asking a lot of your veins that are otherwise used to moving a much smaller amount of blood up your legs, against gravity, and back to your heart. The result is swelling in the feet, ankles, and lower legs. While this is common for many women in pregnancy, especially from 20 weeks onwards, swelling is also a sign of pre-eclampsia and other problems, so you want to let your OB, doctor or midwife know.
Assuming your doctor has ruled out other causes of swelling, compression stockings and compression socks can be fantastic for helping reduce and prevent swelling. They support healthy vein function and leave less room for the fluids to pool. If you don’t have compression socks or stockings on hand, elevating your feet to about the level of your heart can promote fluid return from your legs with the support of gravity, instead of against it. Staying well-hydrated also helps.
4. Is it normal to feel exhausted on my feet and legs?
Absolutely. Your centre of gravity and hence balance has shifted, your joints are more flexible due to the action of the Relaxin (see FAQ #1), your blood volume has significantly increased, and you’re using a lot of energy to support your growing baby. This is very common, and part of the pregnancy journey.
5. I’m getting more foot, leg and calf cramps. Is this related to pregnancy?
While the research is unclear as to exactly why, yes cramps do begin, intensify or become more frequent for many women in pregnancy, particularly from the second trimester onwards. It may be related to the increased weight that your legs have to support or pressure from your growing uterus onto surrounding veins that slow the return of blood to the heart from your legs. It may also be linked to dehydration and changes to the mineral levels in your body.
6. I’ve developed a fungal nail infection in pregnancy. Will this go away on its own after I have my baby?
Most likely not. With your body, including your immune system, working non-stop throughout your pregnancy to support and protect the both of you, it may be less focused on problems like fungal nail infections that don’t pose a real danger to either of you, aside from an unpleasant look on your toenails.
Unfortunately, after your pregnancy, the fungal infection will likely have taken a firm hold in your nail and won’t subside without treatment. If you’re looking for an effective solution for fungal nail infections that is proven to work much better than pharmacy creams and lacquers, anti-fungal cold laser is your go-to.
7. What are the best shoes to be wearing during pregnancy?
Shoes that support your feet and arches to keep you walking comfortably. Avoid flat sandals or jandals, or any firm unsupportive shoes, and choose those that cup your feet well with good straps, laces or velcro. For optimum comfort, support and to reduce the likelihood or intensity of aches and pains in your feet and legs during this time, consider custom foot orthotics that are made for your feet from a custom prescription and materials specifically selected by your podiatrist.
Need relief from achy, swollen or problematic feet or legs during pregnancy?
We’re here to help. We understand the demands that pregnancy places on your lower limbs – and how hard it can make moving and daily life. Our goal is to have you moving as comfortably as possible so you can focus on this exciting time in your life without being held back. Give our local team a call here in Masterton on 06 370 4057
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