Foot Support During Pregnancy

There are two pregnancy-related factors that can affect your feet while you’re expecting:

• The relaxin hormone loosens your joints, muscles, and ligaments to help your body prepare for birth. But its effects extend throughout your body, so the tissues as far as your feet can loosen, too.
• Weight gain, which is a normal part of pregnancy, can put added pressure on your lower body— especially the lowest point, your feet.

Together, these effects can cause collapsed arches, leading to flat feet during and often even after pregnancy.

You have a lot of health-related priorities to think about during pregnancy, both for yourself and your baby. Developing flat feet might not seem like an immediate concern, but it’s an issue that’s better to address early.

Your arches play an important role in supporting your body as a whole. They absorb impact while you’re walking, act as a suspension system, and even start the kinetic chain that extends all the way up your body. When such an important link becomes misaligned due to collapsed arches, it can lead to a number of issues. From persistent back soreness to posture problems and foot arch pain, pregnancy and postpartum can become much more uncomfortable than they need to be.

Further, flat feet go together with pronation, which occurs when the feet roll inward while walking. Pronation can strain the tissue that runs the bottom of the foot, known as the plantar fascia, and can put added stress on the calves, knees, and back.

While it’s possible to address foot issues later, the far simpler solution is also the more proactive one: providing proper arch support during pregnancy.

Insoles are a simple and effective way to support the arches of your feet. They form an extra layer between your shoes’ foot bed and your feet, offering proper arch support to prevent pronation and all the complications that can come with it.

While you don’t necessarily need to search for insoles for pregnancy specifically, Fulton’s Classic Insoles are ideal for use during pregnancy for several reasons:

• Custom arch support from the cork base aligns your body
• A deep heel cup offers maximum stability
• Our cushioning foam evenly distributes pressure

Not only do these features help to prevent misalignment, but they also promote comfort and offer pain relief that extends well beyond your feet. From back pain to foot arch pain, pregnancy soreness can be a thing of the past when you provide proper support.

While insoles can provide support to prevent flat feet after pregnancy, you may still experience pain and pressure from swelling. Here are a few ways to alleviate foot arch pain during pregnancy, as well any radiating discomfort:

• Stay hydrated: Some swelling is normal during pregnancy due to hormones and increased pressure from your growing baby. To alleviate puffiness, drink plenty of water. This will help flush out excess fluids in your peripheral tissues.
• Limit salty foods: Your body needs to balance your sodium levels with its concentration of other nutrients, but consuming too much salt can cause it to retain fluid to keep that balance. Keep salty foods to a minimum while you’re pregnant to avoid excess swelling.
• Put your feet up: Thanks to gravity, the excess fluid your body produces during pregnancy is more likely to pool in your feet. Elevating your legs at the end of the day can help drain the fluid. If possible, try to get your feet up for ten-minute intervals throughout the day, too.
• Get your feet measured: The effects of relaxin and weight changes affect more than your arches; your whole foot can change. Studies have shown that pregnancy can change your foot’s structure, increasing the width, length, and overall volume of your feet. Consider visiting a shoe store to be measured properly and note that you may need to switch to wide shoes while you’re expecting.
• Choose supportive footwear: As your pregnancy progresses, supportive footwear will be more comfortable and stable. Choose sneakers or other flat-soled shoes, and don’t forget your insoles for extra support.

Foot changes during pregnancy are common, but providing enough support can prevent lasting complications. By addressing the effects of swelling and enhancing foot stability with insoles, you can sidestep much of the discomfort that comes during pregnancy. Pick up a pair or a bundle of Fulton insoles for much-needed relief during an exciting life stage.