How can pregnancy affect your feet?

Pregnancy is a hugely exciting time for a woman that comes with a number of huge changes on the body, most notably the changes to the upper half of the body as it shifts to accommodate the growth of a child. It also causes a lot of changes to the feet, with a number of incredibly common foot problems presenting themselves.

During pregnancy, the feet tend to grow (and in most instances they remain a bit bigger afterwards too) with the bones, ligaments and tendons that make up the feet loosening and relaxing thanks to the hormones that the body releases to prepare for childbirth. The natural weight gain also shifts the centre of gravity, which can cause a change to the way that you walk to accommodate this and the additional pressure put onto the knees, ankles and feet to mitigate any damage.

In an attempt to explain what pregnancy is capable of doing to the feet, we’re diving into some of the most common changes that the feet experience during pregnancy.

Loss of arch support

When pregnant, the changes to the hormones are often considered to be the root of other changes in the body. Your hormones circulate around the entire body and their impact can be seen from the tips of the toes to the roots of your hair. Two hormones that specifically heighten when pregnant are relaxins and progesterone which both are able to relax the muscles and cause more flexibility within the ligaments. While this is incredibly important for the pelvic region during childbirth, these two hormones are able to affect any ligaments within the body (including the feet). This laxity within the ligaments causes less support for the arch of the foot, and with the weight increase that is naturally present within the body it can cause the feet to widen. This can be a problem that just affects the body during pregnancy, or it can be a permanent change that affects the body forever.

Pregnancy can change the way that you walk

To provide support for a growing child (and the body that needs to accommodate it), the spine and pelvis start to change their position, leading into a back posture that is more leaned than before. This also changes the centre of gravity which shifts the weight towards the heel instead of the ball to compensate for the change in posture which leads to a “waddling gait” which is considered to be a normal side effect of pregnancy.

Swelling should be expected

Edema is the terminology for fluid being trapped in the body’s tissues when it shouldn’t be, causing swelling in the lower parts of the legs, ankles and feet (but other parts of the body can experience this too). This swelling can cause some problems to your ability to walk, but thankfully it can be managed to make it easier to deal with. Consuming less salt and sodium in your diet, keeping your feet elevated and wearing compression socks are three ways that you can try to manage this and keep the problems at bay.

Ingrown toenails can become more a problem

This is one of the more dangerous problems that are presented to the feet during pregnancy as it can cause pain and lead to infection. With the soft tissues on the feet swelling, it can cause the nail to dig into the toe cause an ingrown toenail. While these can just be a bit painful and red, they are also prone to infection and can end up requiring a surgical procedure to remove the part of the toenail that is causing the problem.

Persistent foot pain whilst pregnant is not normal and you should get it looked at

While a lot of the side effects for the feet can be painful, if that pain does not go away and causes you to be unable to maintain a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy then you should seek help. There are often non-invasive treatments and options that can be carried out alleviate any issues that have presented themselves. No matter what the pain is, if it’s persistent then it’s always a good idea to seek help with it from either a doctor or a podiatrist.

Is there anything that I can do to help keep my feet healthy whilst pregnant?

There are a number of things that you can do yourself to try to keep your feet in good shape whilst you’re pregnant, as well as helping to manage and alleviate any problems that may arise. Things such as;

Wearing orthotics can help to provide your feet with extra support and can even aid with weight distribution
Try to avoid walking around barefoot
Wearing shoes that provide good support to the arch of the foot, as well as allowing for good circulation
Keeping your feet elevated (especially if you’re already experiencing swelling)
Undergoing regular light exercise (like walking) to help blood circulation within the feet
Booking yourself in for a foot massage

If you have any questions about the effects of pregnancy on your feet, please feel free to get in touch with our podiatry team who would be more than happy to discuss the options that are available for you.

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