What causes foot pain in late pregnancy?

The body of a pregnant woman will undergo some changes as the fetus grows after pregnancy. In the late pregnancy, the fetus has taken shape and is relatively large in the abdomen, which can easily compress the nerves or internal organs of the pregnant woman. In the late pregnancy, the sleeping position of the pregnant woman is also critical. Incorrect sleeping position or physical fatigue can easily lead to foot pain, which may be caused by pressure from the fetus.

What causes foot pain in late pregnancy?

1. Increased blood volume: After pregnancy, the blood volume of pregnant women will continue to increase with the increase of gestational weeks, reaching its peak at 32 to 34 weeks of pregnancy, an increase of about 35% compared to before pregnancy, an average increase of 1500 ml.

2. Changes in vascular permeability: As the circulating blood volume increases, the amount of blood pumped by the heart will increase. At the same time, the number of capillary beds throughout the body increases and the diameter of the capillaries becomes thicker, resulting in more (an average increase of 25%) fluid "passing through" the capillary walls into the tissue spaces.

3. Increased venous pressure in the lower limbs: After pregnancy, a large amount of blood will flow from the uterus where the fetus "lives" to the inferior vena cava, which will cause the inferior vena cava pressure to increase; in addition, after 20 weeks of pregnancy, the enlarged uterus will compress the pelvic veins and inferior vena cava, obstructing venous blood return, and the venous pressure in the lower limbs will further increase.

The characteristics of normal leg and foot swelling during pregnancy are "pitting edema" on both sides of the ankles, the dorsum of the feet and the front of the calves, that is, a depression appears where you press with your fingers. After resting for 6 to 8 hours, the swelling of the legs and feet disappears.

What to do if pregnant women have foot pain while sleeping

1. Edema and painful feet: As the weight and position of the fetus change, water in the pregnant woman's body tends to accumulate in the feet and ankles, causing edema and pain in the feet and ankles. The solution to edema is to keep your feet elevated as much as possible at all times, do leg stretching exercises frequently, wear wide and comfortable shoes, and do not cross your legs when sitting.

2. Arch pain: Arch pain during pregnancy is mostly caused by fatigue or overstretching of the arch. Overstretching of the arch is caused by excessive pressure on a ligament on the sole of the foot that maintains the arch (called "plantar fascia") during pregnancy. The best way to prevent arch pain is to stretch your arches every morning or before and after exercise, not walk barefoot, and wear low-heeled shoes with cushioned soles.

3. Foot cramps: This painful cramp is caused by the increase in blood volume and progesterone during pregnancy. Pregnant women can prevent cramps by rotating their ankles to improve blood flow and elevating their feet when sitting. If cramps persist, try walking around obstacles and doing daily exercises to stretch your calf muscles.

4. Ingrown toenails: Wearing tight shoes during pregnancy can cause ingrown toenails. The solution is to wear loose shoes during the last three months of pregnancy. If ingrown toenail has already occurred, do not go to some small private clinics for minor surgery. Repeated cutting of the nails can make ingrown toenails worse. The best way is to seek treatment from a professional foot and ankle surgeon.

5. It is common for women’s feet to become larger during pregnancy. This is because during pregnancy the hormone relaxin is released (a hormone that relaxes the pelvis when the baby is delivered), which causes the ligaments in the pregnant woman's feet to become looser, causing the feet to become wider and longer, often making the pregnant woman's feet half the size.