4 Ways to Pregnancy-related Foot Pain Relief
Many women find that pregnancy causes their feet to become swollen and uncomfortable. However there is no reason to suffer in silence, as some easy fixes can help your feet feel more comfortable.
Reduce salt intake
Many women find that they get swollen feet over the course of their pregnancy. Reducing salt intake, and increasing water intake can often reduce swell and help make people more comfortable. Try not only drinking more water but also increasing your water-rich food intake, by eating more fruit and vegetables, too.
Equally many pregnant women find that elevating their feet including reduces swelling and helps minimise the discomfort. Try placing a footrest or block under your work desk to keep your feet higher during the day.
Minimise weight gain
The weight gain associated with pregnancy places biomechanical strains on the foot, similarly to any weight gain. This can cause pain especially in women who start at a higher weight. By minimising weight gain you will lower the stresses on your feet, as well as other joints such as knees and ankles.
Wearing comfortable shoes
Wearing supportive and comfortable shoes can reduce the strain on your feet and provide some relief from back pain. In particular lower heels can be important in reducing the strain on the arches and balls of the feet and will make it easier for you to stay stable. No wants to tumble over while pregnant and have more injuries to contend with!
Wearing comfortable shoes will also make it easier to move around, and the more light exercise you can do, the more blood will be flowing through your feet and this should result in less foot swelling.
Orthotics
The hormone relaxin, which gets released during pregnancy, loosens the tendons and connecting ligaments in the foot and in some case this can create structural changes in the foot such as arch collapse or pregnancy related flat foot. In this case it can be useful to visit a podiatrist and get some custom orthotics fitted.
The podiatrist can also review your feet and determine if there are any other issues that may be adding to your foot pain that are not pregnancy related, such as corns or bunions.
There is no need to suffer pregnancy foot pain in silence. Be sure to let your care providers know if you need some extra podiatric support to be able to comfortably move with pregnant.