Women seem to get selective amnesia after holding their newborn baby in their arms. They forget the pain of childbirth, the health concerns and the nervous anticipation of pregnancy. But the one thing they do not forget is the discomfort of their poor pregnant feet!
Pamela Kock, mother of two from Springboro, Ohio, remembers all too well her chronic foot pain. “My feet ached quite a bit during both of my pregnancies; it felt as though I’d been standing all day, right as soon as I got out of bed,” says Kock. “The doctor just stated the obvious, that it would help to sit down with my feet propped up as much as possible. It didn’t help much, basically because I am not very good at sitting still for long!”
The Big Swell
Dr. John Viscovich, a podiatrist in Mt. Kisco, N.Y., says there are many causes for foot swelling during pregnancy. “Hormonal imbalances, venous congestion, decrease in activity, fluid retention and laxity are all reasons for swelling,” he says.
- Hormonal imbalances create a disparity in the osmotic pressures that will cause fluid to rest outside the cells.
- Venous congestion can be due to weight gain that does not allow the veins in the legs to function properly, allowing water to escape out into the free space between the cells.
- Decrease in activity causes the leg pump that brings fluid back to the heart not to function as well.
- Fluid retention is really related to hormonal imbalances.
- Laxity is due to the hormones that allow the female body to stretch (the belly getting bigger), which also work on the collagen that maintains the firmness in the legs, allowing the skin in the legs to stretch with fluid.
Other Feet Troubles
Swelling isn’t the only thing that can happen to your feet while pregnant. Foot collapse is also quite common.
“Because of this, I see a lot of plantar fasciitis during pregnancy,” Dr. Viscovich says. “Plantar fasciitis, also known as policeman’s heel, causes severe pain in the flat part of the heel. This condition is hard to treat in the first two trimesters since the baby is developing. No one really wants to give a pregnant woman any meds during these stages. I have given several injections into the heel in the third trimester. During the first two trimesters I tend to provide physical therapy modalities and orthotics.”
Walking Away from Foot Problems
Dr. Ronald M. Caplan, author of Your Pregnancy: Reassuring Answers to the Questions of Mothers-To-Be (Quill, 1992), says that avoiding foot discomfort takes a little common sense. “Exercise during pregnancy is taught in all good prenatal classes,” he says. “Such exercises are designed to avoid interference with proper blood circulation during pregnancy.”
Dr. Caplan suggests that women avoid sitting with their knees crossed. Some other good, basic advice includes the following:
- If you are up, do not stand still; walk.
- If you are tired, lie down on your side.
- If you must sit, keep your legs up.
On occasion, varicose veins can be a problem. Dr. Caplan says this is due to the loss of properly functioning valves in the veins, so that blood accumulates in the veins of the legs and feet, which can even cause blood clots.
“Although support stockings do not always have an optimal look, their use during pregnancy should be discussed with your obstetrician,” Dr. Caplan says. “Support hose should go up the full length of the leg. Of course, there should not be any constriction or constraint of the area around the growing baby.”
Shoe Sense
Dr. John Viscovich always tells his pregnant moms to get into a good all-around sneaker. “Running shoes do not provide the lateral support needed, and they make you more prone to ankle sprains,” he says. “A sneaker with a good arch support is also mandatory. This will not only support the foot but the muscles in the leg that support the foot and therefore the rest of the body.
High heels are extremely unsafe as they make you more prone to rolling the ankle. Women are much more unbalanced with the extra pregnancy weight, and injuries are more common when wearing heels.
Massage Those Feet
Foot massages are a wonderful treat for the pregnant woman with aching feet. “Foot massage can be pleasant and relaxing in pregnancy,” Dr. Caplan says. “In trained hands, it certainly can’t hurt, and is likely to make your (possibly) aching feet feel much better.”
To give yourself foot massages, try leaning your back against a wall or a solid piece of furniture for support, keep your right leg extended, bend in your left foot and gently massage your left foot, including each toe, the full sole and ankle and your calf. Repeat with the right foot.
Foot pain and pregnancy seem to go hand in hand, but they don’t always have to if you take a few precautions and take care of your feet. You’re going to need them!
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