Pregnant and Suffering From Swollen Feet? Here's What to Do
Pregnancy is a wonderful experience and brings many changes to a woman’s body. Here at Garden OB/GYN, one of the changes that our patients mention most often is swollen feet. Learn how you can manage your feet pain.
Pregnancy is a wonderful experience and brings many changes to a woman’s body. Here at Garden OB/GYN, one of the changes that our patients mention most often is swollen feet.
Swollen feet occur as a result of additional fluid buildup. This buildup of fluids is caused by hormonal changes which allow the body to become more flexible. This increased flexibility is referred to as ligamentous laxity. It helps loosen the ligaments to prepare a woman’s body for the physical demands of pregnancy and childbirth.
While this process is a normal part of pregnancy, there are some practices that expecting mothers can incorporate to mitigate the symptoms of swollen feet.
We’re always looking for new ways to serve our community so we caught up with Doctor Benjamin Tehrani, top Podiatric Surgeon, Founder of Kings Point Foot & Ankle and creator of Nerve Assist.
As a top-rated provider in Los Angeles, Dr. Tehrani was happy to share some advice to help our patients alleviate some of the newfound foot pain they may be experiencing. Below are some of the tips that he shared along with our very own Garden OB/GYN Family Nurse Practitioner, Casey-Ann Collins.
Wear compression stockings
Pregnant women can use compression socks to help improve the circulation in their feet, which can also help ease achiness and swelling. While they are a great tool for pregnant women, compression socks can be worn by anyone experiencing foot pain.
For instance, they are great for people who do a lot of standing throughout the day. Doctor Benjamin Tehrani uses them during his busy days treating his patients.
Soak your feet in epsom salt and warm water
Use Epsom soaks to relieve your foot pain. As a bonus, adding a few drops of essential oil like lavender can really help elevate the experience and provide deeper relaxation.
Stay hydrated
Hydration is a must in normal circumstances, but it becomes even more essential while carrying a child. Water is used for building amniotic fluid, flushing toxins, carrying nutrients, and more. Thus, plenty of water is key to ensuring a healthy baby.
Wear the right footwear
Doctor Benji recommends supportive shoes like Birkenstocks and Vionics for improved comfort. Both brands boast footbeds that conform easily to swollen feet. Of course, there are other brands on the market, but these happen to be at the top of Doctor Benji’s recommendations.
Use a Theragun around calves, ball of the foot, and heel
A Theragun is a handheld massage device that uses percussive therapy to remedy muscle pain and soreness. This product is a must-have for pregnant women which provides deep tissue relief.
Stretch your calves
When was the last time you tried calf stretches? We hope the answer was today! Calf stretches can be a great release to tightness and soreness in the calf muscles.
Low Impact Exercises to keep blood circulating
Low impact exercises allow you to get your body moving while avoiding injury. Moreover, they are joint-friendly so they are fairly accessible to pregnant women. Swimming, yoga and cycling are all examples of low-impact activities.
Massage using Nerve Assist Freeze gel
Nerve Assist freeze gel is an all-natural topical treatment to help relieve pain. It can be used during a massage to provide cooling relief. For best results, it should be used daily for as long as pain persists.
We hope that you can use one of the suggestions provided on this list to help relieve your swollen feet. Doctor Benji also offers some more insight on other foot conditions that may arise during pregnancy. You can find some extra tips here. We also encourage you to ask your Garden OB/GYN provider about how to manage your swollen feet and pain management during pregnancy at your next pregnancy visit at one of our Manhattan, Queens or Long Island offices.
You can also find the original article on the Kings Point Foot & Ankle website.
