In the third trimester of pregnancy many changes will still be taking place. One of the things you may notice are painful or swollen feet.
One of the many side effects of pregnancy is swollen feet. Swollen feet can be caused by the weight gain and water retention that occurs throughout your pregnancy.
Your feet will usually swell the most as you enter and progress through the third trimester because that is when you will weigh the most. Different women will deal with different amounts of swelling, but it can be very uncomfortable at times.
In addition to water retention and weight gain, your body is going to experience a change in your center of gravity. Your excess weight becoming balanced differently can also be hard on your feet and your knees.
Your posture may also change and make every movement difficult so you will change the way you walk to adapt. One of the most common foot problems experienced by pregnant women is called over-pronation.
Over-pronation is more commonly referred to as flat feet. Flat feet are caused by the above mentioned forces that cause the arch to flatten out.
Due to the flattening of the arches, their feet roll unnaturally inward when they walk. The unnatural way of walking can increase the swelling and pain that you experience throughout the last trimester.
Fortunately, this condition can be prevented by wearing shoes that have really good arch support during this time. However, if flat feet are developed they will need to be treated or they will continue to be painful and swell even after you have delivered.
If they are not treated, you could develop other foot problems such as Metatarsalgia and Plantar Fasciitis. Metatarsalgia is more commonly known as ball of foot pain while Plantar Fasciitis is more commonly known as intense heel pain.
Another condition that can develop in the feet during pregnancy is edema. Edema is a fancy name for swelling.
However, this swelling is caused by the weight of the uterus on major blood vessels that hinders circulation. As a result, the blood and water tends to pool in your extremities.
Edema often includes the swelling of the feet and hands as well. Fortunately there are many ways that you can prevent and treat edema.
The first thing you will want to try to do is elevate your feet as often as possible. This will help the blood get back into circulation.
Then, you will want to make sure that you wear supportive shoes as much as possible. Even though your shoes may be uncomfortable to wear due the edema, you should still wear them.
They will provide support that will help prevent your feet from swelling even more. However, it is a good idea to go to the store and purchase shoes that fit your swollen feet properly so that they will be comfortable to wear.
Try to make sure that your feet stay dry throughout the day. Be sure to dry off your feet after showers and to change socks whenever your feet get sweaty.
The extra water can get trapped between your swelling toes and cause athletes feet and other skin conditions that can be hard to treat with your large belly in the way. It is also important to aid your circulation by moving around every couple of hours.
You should not sit still for too long. If you are on a long trip, make sure that you stop and get circulation going about every two hours.
Exercising can also significantly improve your circulation. If you have been exercising throughout your pregnancy, you have probably already been experiencing the many benefits that it can offer you.
One of the best forms of exercise for pregnant women is a home elliptical. A home elliptical is convenient and eliminates the impact of your weight falling on your knees and feet that would happen if you were on a treadmill.
The elliptical does this by moving the pedals with your feet so that you do not ever have to pick them or set them down. You can simply keep walking with no impact whatsoever.
As you exercise you will want to make sure that you drink plenty of fluids. As you exercise you will sweat and lose some of the precious water that your body and the baby need.
You should drink about ten eight ounce glasses, or eighty ounces, of water every single day. You may even need to drink more water than that if you are exercising as well because it helps your body to wash all of the bad toxins out of your body.
Author Resource:-
Terry Daniels is an accomplished expert in health and fitness. He recommends the bestelliptical machines you can find in the market.
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