Keeping your feet healthy in pregnancy
Are you expecting a little bundle of joy? Are your feet starting to feel a bit uncomfortable - perhaps you have some arch pain, or maybe you just can't quite reach your feet the way you once could?
It's not unusual to have sore feet when your pregnant - sudden weight gain can increase pressure on the ligaments around your foot and ankle and can lead to arch pain, calf cramps and other nasty symptoms. With your body preparing for birth, your ligaments become more flexible and this can increase discomfort in your feet and lower back and pelvis.
To decrease your foot pain, we recommend you wear comfortable cushioned shoes as much as possible and try to avoid non-supportive footwear like thongs or ballet flats.
It is much better to choose shoes that will give you some support (even though I know it can be a little hard to put them on!) If you are having difficulty bending down to put on shoes, or if your feet have swollen and are uncomfortable in closed shoes, choose an open shoe that has some arch support - Birkenstocks are an example, but there are others on the market.
Extra weight can also increase pressure on your feet and you may find an increase in callus and possibly corns. As your pregnancy progresses, you may find that these pressure points make it difficult to walk. Applying moisturiser to your feet can help, but removing the corns and callus will be your best option.
At Foot Right Podiatry, we can help you with advice on footwear, we can treat your aches and pains and cut your nails and treat your corns and callus. Don't let this amazing pregnancy journey be a painful one, come and see us today :)