Your Pregnancy and Your Feet

Are you expecting a child? Congratulations! Each phase of the pregnancy will bring new wonders as your body changes and prepares for birth. These same changes, however, can bring some discomfort to your feet. At Southern Maryland Foot & Ankle we want to offer you some solutions to common pregnancy foot and ankle issues:

Problem: Swelling feet and ankles. Retaining fluid is a normal condition associated with pregnancy. For your feet it can mean swelling and pain, particularly at the end of the day and as the pregnancy progresses.

Solution: Help your body retain less fluid by reducing your salt and caffeine intake. Drink lots of water to help the body get rid of extra fluid. Put your feet up regular intervals throughout the day to help reduce swelling.

Problem: Ankles twisting and giving way. During pregnancy your body will release a hormone known as relaxin. It “relaxes” the ligaments in the body to make birth possible. For your feet, however, this means the ligaments in your ankles will also get looser and that, combined with increasing body weight can up the risk of ankle sprains.

Solution: Re-think your footwear. Look for shoes with greater support for your ankles. Keep in mind, that this loosening of ligaments may make your foot a larger size, so get professionally measured when buying new shoes. Keep heels low to help prevent losing your balance.

Problem: Arch and heel pain. The weight you gain while pregnant puts additional strain on your feet, particularly on the arch. You may start to experience symptoms of flatfeet (when the arch collapses). These include pain in the arch and also pain in your heel, due to the pressure the fallen arch puts on the plantar fascia which is connected to the heel.

Solution: Choose shoes that have good arch support and ask our podiatrist, Dr. Larry Hotchkiss, about arch inserts for your shoes or other ways to alleviate this discomfort. Again, take breaks during the day to rest and elevate your feet to help minimize pain and inflammation.

Pregnancy is an exciting time and one that requires extra attention to the health of your whole body. If you are experiencing issues with your feet during pregnancy, make an appointment at either our Clinton or Waldorf office. Our caring staff will address all your concerns and help make this special time as comfortable as possible.