Foot Pain during Pregnancy
By: Tsou JinyeuTotal Views: 246, Word Count: 595,
Many women experience foot pain and swelling during their pregnancy. They feel as though, they’d been standing all day even if have been resting all day. An overweight woman is more likely to have foot ache as she gains even more weight during pregnancy. Thus you should be fit and maintain a balanced weight as a pre planning.
Some of the causes for foot swelling and pain during pregnancy are:
- With pregnancy there is an onset of hormonal imbalance in the body. This can create a difference in the osmotic pressure that causes fluids to remain outside the cells.
- Venous congestion can be another factor for swollen and painful feet. Weight gain because of the pregnancy can cause venous congestion. In this condition the body’s weight does not allow the veins in the legs to function normally, and thus water escapes into the free space outside the cells.
- During pregnancy, some women reduce their daily activity which can cause the leg pump (which brings fluid back to the heart) to function improperly.
- Due to the hormonal imbalance there is water retention or edema, which can cause foot pain and swelling. Therefore blood circulation slows down and accumulates in the feet or legs causing swelling and pain.
- Another reason for painful feet is over-pronation. In this condition the arch of the feet flattens causing pain in the heel or arch.
- Some women can also experience leg cramps which causes pain in the calf muscles. This could because of the changing concentration of calcium in a woman’s body and tired muscles.
Foot Pain Prevention and Treatments
- If you are experiencing swollen feet then prevent it by keeping your legs and feet elevated frequently. You can use a pillow to elevate them. Avoid wearing tight footwear, socks or stockings as this reduces circulation. You can do some gentle exercises that help in improving blood circulation. You can do exercises such as rotating the feet or alternatively lifting them.
- Do not stand for very long periods. Do some walking as it works up your muscles in the legs and thereby pumps out any extra fluids from the legs and feet.
- Eat a good diet during pregnancy. You need to consume a lot of fluids, fruits and fruit juices. Eating healthy will avoid unnecessary weight gain that can cause pain and swelling in the foot.
- Sleep on your side during your pregnancy especially during the last two trimesters. This will avoid putting unnecessary pressure on the back. Sleeping on the sides also help in better circulation and removes any extra fluid out of your legs and feet. Sleeping on the left side is the best.
- Wear comfortable shoes during pregnancy, preferably flats. Do not wear high heels.
- When you have too much foot pain, massage your feet with an ointment or balm. It will help relieve the pain in the feet. You can also think about doing refloxogy to help reduce the swelling in feet.
- You can also use ice compresses to get relief from pain.
These are some measures that can help you treat and prevent any swelling and pain in the feet. If you experience any foot pain do not be worried, because it can be treated easily and goes away after delivery.
About the Author
Dr Tsou Jinyeu is a well known gynecologist and has been in this field since 1995. His special interests are – genetic and birth defects, high risk obstetrics, lupus in pregnancy, premature labour, premature delivery, triplets and ultrasound diagnosis. He is graduated from the University Of Illinois College Of Medicine. Nowdays he is working as a medical doctor at Elmhurst Loyola Center for Health.
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