Congratulations to all our expectant and new momma’s out there! Pregnancy is an exciting time where lots of changes occur rapidly. You’re probably noticing some unexpected changes to your feet. While everyone knows to expect changes to the belly, it is not common knowledge that there are also changes to the feet and sometimes those changes are permanent.
During pregnancy, the hips begin to spread to prepare the body for birth. During this process hormones are released that cause ligaments to loosen to allow for this spread. The hormones affect the whole body which means other ligaments loosen too… Especially in the feet!
Loose ligaments in the feet combined with rapid weight gain and wider hips can result in feet growing, widening, flattening, or developing bunions. We frequently hear new mom’s tell us their shoes aren’t fitting properly or their feet feel fatigued. This is absolutely normal and we have some tips to help our new and expectant momma’s navigate their foot health:
During pregnancy:
Plantar fasciitis, arch flattening and tendinitis are very common in pregnancy and a good orthotic can help to prevent or minimize these painful conditions.
Minimize excessive weight gain. It’s easier said than done, but trying to limit how much weight is gained can reduce the stress on your feet and help to prevent flat arches, bunions, and a variety of other foot conditions that can arise during pregnancy and stick around after.
Foot swelling is common in pregnancy and is usually worse in the evenings. Regular foot massages will help with lymphatic drainage and this will reduce swelling in the feet.
Postpartum:
Continue to support your arches as your body recovers, your feet need recovery support too. Custom made orthotics and strapping/taping is a great way to do this! Both of which are offered at AIRE.
Physical therapy strengthens muscles in your feet and ankles will aid in the prevention of bunions and ankle instability which are both common after pregnancy.
Go shoe shopping! If your shoe size changes, it’s important to wear shoes that fit properly. Sometimes your only option is new shoes… And we think you deserve all the new shoes you want after bringing a human into the world!
Book a consultation to discuss our individualized treatment plans to support your podiatric needs during and after pregnancy.
