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Last Updated: Sep 03, 2024
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Feet Pain During Pregnancy - Tips to Deal With It!
Dr. Vipul KheraOrthopedic Doctor • 26 Years Exp.M. Ch. (Ortho), DNB (Orthopedics), Diploma In Orthopaedics (D. Ortho), MBBS
Pregnancy is a joyful time in a woman’s life. Yet, this is also a challenging time for the pregnant lady as it brings a lot aches and pains as well as swelling in various parts of the body. Back pain and foot pain are common occurrences during pregnancy. Leg cramps and pain in the feet are often experienced at night. This may be caused primarily due to lack of proper blood circulation in the feet and also due to the swelling that one experiences in this region.
Also, not getting enough rest is one of the main culprits of this condition. Let us find out how to deal with the same.
- Nutrition: This is one of the biggest factors that can go a long way in ensuring that you have a healthy pregnancy in general. But nutrition is also a major factor when it comes to preventing foot pain during pregnancy. When you indulge in proper nutrition with healthy ingredients, the various vitamins and minerals get absorbed in a proper manner within the body. Not only does this help in reducing the swelling and keeping it at bay, but it also helps in alleviating various aches and pains felt in various parts of the body, especially the feet. Magnesium supplements can also be prescribed in order to reduce the leg and foot pain during this time. You can also have magnesium-rich food like nuts, dry fruits, and seeds so that you get plenty of magnesium during your pregnancy.
- Rest: It is important to put your feet up, literally, more often that you would when you are not pregnant. Pregnancy can be an exhausting time, and it is important to give your body ample rest so that you do not suffer from stress responses that can give rise to spasms in various parts of the body – most notably, the feet and legs.
- Exercise: You must also exercise a little during this time, especially in the last trimester when foot pain becomes quite severe. This will help in reducing the cramping in the muscles, which can arise due to too much of inactivity. One of the best exercises involves pushing against the wall with one leg, and maintaining the position for about five seconds. While you are doing this, you will also need to lean forward and place your hands on the walls. You can try this a few times for each leg before taking a break.
- Weight: Your average pregnancy weight gain should not be more than 15 to 20 kilograms. Anything more than this will lead to severe pain in the back and legs. So monitor your weight to reduce foot pain significantly.