Pregnancy and Foot Care
During pregnancy the body undergoes an incredible amount of physical and hormonal changes. Unfortunately, the feet do not escape these changes. Not to mention that as the baby grows, it becomes more difficult to reach and take care of your feet yourself.
Having just come back from maternity leave for the second time I can truly empathise with my pregnant patients. One of the most common complaints I see with my patients who are pregnant is sore nails and hard skin. You may find that your favourite shoes are no longer fitting properly, or they are hard to put on so you resort to thongs or sandals a lot more. This may be due to foot and leg swelling (oedema) and a change in your foot size or shape due to ligaments and tendons becoming stretchier in response to the hormone progesterone. Many women find their foot becomes around a size bigger during pregnancy and it may stay this way even after giving birth. This is all in preparation of your soon to arrive bundle of joy. Unfortunately, tight shoes result in extra pressure on our skin and nails. This can lead to a build up of hard skin (corns and callus) and involuted or ingrown nails.
Another common complaint we see at ProMed Podiatry Clinic is foot pain. This can be due to increase in weight, a change of your centre of gravity, increased ligament laxity, a change in the way you walk and, also being barefoot or in thongs more often because your shoes are not fitting properly.
Some helpful tips for taking care of your feet during pregnancy are:
● Utilise your partner or long-handled devices such as toe washers, moisturiser applicators to keep your feet clean and moisturised
● If your shoes are feeling tight it is worth going to a quality shoe store and getting fitted for a new pair of shoes to see you through your pregnancy
● Avoid things with lots of chemicals such as nail polish removers and general nail polish. See our range of healthier nail polishes here.
● Check with your GP, pharmacist or podiatrist before using over the counter treatments for infections such as tinea, nail fungus and warts
If you are having continued issues with your feet or just feel like treating them to some pampering, because they deserve it, book in with the team at Promed Podiatry Clinic. We have lots of experience in treating women during pregnancy to ensure we can safely keep you on your feet pain free. Some of our most popular treatments include
● Removal of hard, dry skin including corns, calluses and cracked skin
● Trim and shape hard to reach nails
● Shape, trim and/or brace nails that may be painful, curly or ingrown
● Provide symptomatic relief for plantar warts with debridement and deflective pads
● Advice and prescription regarding shoes, insoles and pads to alleviate foot pain
● Orthotic prescription where appropriate
● Foot pain therapies that are safe during pregnancy including – therapeutic ultrasound, paraffin wax treatments, interferential treatment, support taping, massage;
● We even have a great range of nail polish and polish remover which is safe to use during pregnancy and can improve nail health.
Rest assured we have great experience with Pregnant women and will look after you and your feet!
Sarah Youngson
Podiatrist