Pregnancy is no doubt one of the miracles of nature and is a cherished experienced for any mother-to-be! A woman's body undergoes an amazing array of transformations to accommodate the new life developing within it! Pregnancy is a phase of life that engages the entire body and mind, resulting in a multitude of changes.
Along with those changes, an abundance of precautions should be undertaken to ensure that during pregnancy and childbirth the mom and baby will both be healthy, comfortable and safe.
Every bodily system in a woman's body experiences significant changes, and in regards to the foot, the 3 most noticeable changes due to pregnancy are swelling, overpronation, and increased foot size! Swelling Swelling (or edema) is a condition that a majority of women experience while childbearing.
Edema usually occurs in the later stages of pregnancy and is caused by an accumulation of fluids in the lower extremity.
The enlarging fetus and growing uterus put pressure on the blood vessels in the pelvis and legs.
This causes a slowing in blood circulation and as a result the blood accumulates in the lower extremities.
In addition, the fetus is also sitting on your lymphatic channels (vessels that drain fluid from all areas of the body) and putting pressure on them, leading to their narrowing.
This constriction inhibits their ability to remove the lymphatic fluid which then keeps collecting in the area of your foot and ankle! Edema is not EXTRA body fluid caused by pregnancy.
The total amount of water in the body is exactly the same.
Rather, the fluid has just has been shifted to another location due to obstruction of both blood and lymphatic vessels.
Edema will cause an enlargement of the affected body area and may cause that part to tinge purple.
There are various ways to reduce the discomfort of edema.
Practice the avoidance of knee-high socks and of pantyhose/socks with elastic bands.
Make sure to elevate your feet, take every opportunity to sit rather than stand, and obtain plenty of rest.
Although it may sound counterintuitive, it is important to increase your water intake! The extra ingestion of fluid will assist in flushing your system of waste products which may also play a role in the swelling.
Also, decrease the amount of salt in your diet since it is attributed to water retention in the body.
Swelling is normal in pregnancy, but if you see that its onset is abrupt and/or that it occurs in your hands simultaneously as they are indications of preeclampsia.
Preeclampsia is described as a pregnancy-related high blood pressure and is a dangerous condition! The wonder of pregnancy does not just stem from the fact that there is another human growing within you, but the considerable and diverse internal and external changes occurring throughout the body! Unfortunately, not all of these changes are favorable as they may cause discomfort or pain.
Pregnancy may cause a variety of uncomfortable foot conditions stemming from edema, overpronation, and increased foot size like varicose veins, foot pain and leg cramping.
To ensure that your foot health remains optimal during pregnancy, it is important to educate yourself and talk to your podiatrist Overpronation When the arch of an individual's foot flattens out when weight is put on it, it is referred to as overpronation.
Overpronation is seen in obese individuals, flat-footed people and in pregnant women.
A person with this foot condition will find that their feet roll inwards while walking - which leads to all sorts of biomechanical effects such as ankle, knee and hip pain.
All the joints in your leg work together to function in gait and balance and improper movement at the ankle will lead to the inappropriate delivery of forces up the leg and cause all sorts of problems.
Pregnant women experience overpronation and its associated symptoms because of the weight gain and the resulting added pressure on the foot.
Overpronation causes your walking experience to be unpleasant and strains the muscles in the foot, leg, and back.
In addition, the plantar fascia (a fibrous connective tissue connecting your heel to your forefoot) will become inflamed causing painful plantar fasciitis.
Other problems that can occur if overpronation is not corrected are bunions, tibialis posterior tendonitis, metatarsalgia and heel spurs! The good news about overpronation is that surgery is not required to correct it, however, if overpronation is not treated - it may lead to foot pathologies that will require surgery! Ready-made orthoses are available to treat overpronation.
These will specifically be made to have arch support as well as rear foot posting for the innermost surface of your foot.
You can also make wise choices by selecting comfortable shoe gear that provides sufficient shock absorption and added support.
If you find that your symptoms worsen, make an appointment with your podiatrist! They will fully evaluate your foot health and make appropriate recommendations! Pregnancy is a wonderful phenomenon that brings about so many changes in a woman.
Every major body system undergoes alterations in anticipation of the baby's development and arrival into the world! Pregnancy brings about certain foot changes such as edema, overpronation and increased foot size.
Hormones cause almost all the changes that occur in a woman's body due to pregnancy.
Hormones are involved in almost every biological process including growth, immunity, metabolism, and reproduction.
A hormone molecule acts like a little key that is secreted by a gland in the body into the blood.
This key travels in the blood to link up with its matching lock elsewhere in the body to open up chemical processes like the manufacture of a certain protein, the multiplication of cell number or the stimulation of a chemical change.
Increased Foot Size One of the key players in pregnancy is the hormone relaxing.
The purpose of relaxin is to relax the tissues that bind the bones of pelvis together.
By loosening up the pelvic connective tissue, the body will allow for the passage of the baby through the birth canal.
However, relaxin does not just affect the pelvis.
Relaxin increases foot size because it loosens the hold of the ligaments in the foot.
(Ligaments are tissues that connect bone to bone.
) As a result, the arch of the foot starts to decrease in height and cause the foot to spread.
Another reason that the foot grows in size is due to the increased pressure on it as a result of weight gain.
The extra weight stems from the body hormones that amplify breast size and uterus size as well as the growing baby.
The pressure also decreases the arch and flattens out the foot.
Scores of women have reported that their foot grows by a half-size or more during pregnancy! An array of foot problems can occur if you do not accommodate your increasing foot size! If you keep wearing tight footwear you can exhaust the muscles at the ball of your foot which play a role in keeping your toes straight! Also the jamming of your foot into tight shoes causes the development of corns, ingrown toenails, and bunions.
The effects of additional weight and slack ligaments on your foot requires well-fitting shoes with good support.
Start with over-the-counter arch supports to maintain the arch and minimize problems.
Furthermore, make an appointment with your podiatrist to keep your foot health in check! They may prescribe custom orthoses and advise you on other courses of treatment!