Foot Care for Pregnant Women

Being pregnant should be an exciting and happy time in a woman's life.

However aching feet and swollen legs can make the experience far from idyllic. Let's face the truth, the body has to adapt to protect the mother and baby throughout the pregnancy, which means the body's centre of gravity changes. In addition to this there is the weight gain and of course the hormonal changes. Pregnancy hormones, which relax the ligaments for childbirth, also loosen foot and hip ligaments!

Foot care is normally not on the top of the list of most mums-to-be, but by paying some attention to their feet during the early stages of pregnancy, much pain and discomfort can be prevented throughout preganancy and even after giving birth.

The foot problems that can occur whilst a woman is pregnant are most likely to be over-pronation or edema.

Pronation
Over-pronation (see our section on foot problems and disorders) is caused when the arches of the foot collapses upon weight bearing. The feet then roll inward on every step which can create extra pressure at the bottom of the feet, over stretching the plantar fascia ligament in the foot.

The ankles also become weaker and the chances of an ankle sprain become greater.

Over time, over-pronation can make walking very painful and can also affect the calf muscles, the knees, the hips, the lower back and even the neck area. Expectant mothers already have to deal with lower back pain due to the change in their body's centre of gravity, so it can be a great help unnecessary pain originating from other areas can be reduced.

Edema
Edema is often referred as a swelling of the feet. It is a very visual condition and for this reason is believed to be more of a common problem during pregnancy.

The reason for the swelling of the feet is the extra blood that has been created due to the enlargement of the uterus. As the baby grows inside the uterus, it creates an increasing amount of pressure on the blood vessels in the pelvis area and in the legs. This causes the circulation in these areas to slow down and to "pool" in the legs.

The total water fluid remains the same in the body, but it becomes displaced. When the feet are very heavily swollen they can become purplish in colour. If the displaced fluid in the legs pairs up with body fluid retention, the situation can become even more severe. However, if swelling appears in the face or hands it is recommended that the patient consults her GP.

Prevention and Treatment
Some tips for prevention and treatment of the foot conditions often suffered by pregnant women, are as follows:

Try to elevate your feet as often as possible;
Keep your body hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day as this can prevent water retention in your body;
Try to keep your salt intake to an absolute minimum, as salt tends to cause water retention. Maintain a balanced diet to maximize the intake of the vitamins and minerals that your body needs during this time;
Wear properly fitting footwear. Wearing shoes that are too narrow can cause swelling by restricting circulation in your feet;
If you have to sit for longer periods of time or if you drive long distances, make sure that you take plenty breaks when you can walk around and improve the circulation in your feet;
A regular exercise regime can also help your circulation. However, if you didn't exercise before you became pregnant, check with your doctor first how much exercise you should do. Of course, exercising can also help to get rid of any unwanted extra weight that you might of put on during pregnancy;
Using Pedikom custom made restorative orthotics will stabilize your body's biomechanical alignment to help you to keep your balance. They will also support your feet when they need it the most. Because orthotics are specially designed to fit your feet you can be sure that they will act to reduce and eliminate foot pain and reduce lower back pain;
A pair of specially designed medical support socks may also be useful as they are designed to compress the excess fluids out of your legs, ankles and feet. However, make sure you get the right ones, since there are support socks that are designed to restrict circulation;
A nice foot rub from your loved one can also be a good relaxation method and it can help to eliminate foot pain as well.