Foot Pain and Pregnancy: Causes and Solutions

When pregnant, a woman’s body goes through a myriad of changes, some more uncomfortable than others. One of the most overlooked ailments that women endure during pregnancy is foot pain.

Causes of Foot Pain During Pregnancy

Two of the most common causes of foot pain during pregnancy are edema and over-pronation. Edema is defined as swelling or enlargement of the tissues in the feet as a result of fluids pooling in the lower extremities. As the baby grows, added pressure is put upon the blood vessels in the pelvic area as well as the legs. This in turn slows down circulation, causing fluids to pool in the lower legs and feet, and often producing a purplish discoloration in the ankles and feet as well.

Over-pronation is a result of the altered center of gravity that women experience during pregnancy. The additional baby weight that the legs and feet have to bear can cause the feet to tilt inward (over-pronate) and the arches of the feet to flatten out when walking. This can cause excessive strain on the tissues of the feet, often producing a ripple effect of leg and lower back pain as well.

Solutions for Pregnancy-Related Foot Pain

Over-pronation is commonly treated with remedial orthotics (shoe inserts) that help to support the arches and heels. Properly-fitted footwear is very important as well; be sure to choose shoes that provide firm support and adequate shock absorption. To help alleviate edema, elevate your feet as much as you possibly can, and wear shoes that do not constrict your circulation. In addition, try to maintain a low-sodium diet in order to help prevent fluid retention, which is essentially what edema is.

What Stretches Can Help Relieve Plantar Fasciitis?

There are various stretch exercises you can do in order to relieve the pain of plantar fasciitis. The best time to start with some of these exercises is early in the morning before you get out of bed, seeing as sleep tightens the planta fascia. However, it’s not necessary to do all the exercises at once. Try to do a couple of them about 2-3 times a day.

Foot Stretching
Start by flexing your foot about 10 times using upward and downward motions. This exercise is particularly effective before stepping out of bed.

Toe Stretching
Following foot stretching, sit on the bed and place your heel on the floor. Now reach down and pull your big toe up and back towards your ankle. Your ankle should to remain on the floor while the rest of your foot is elevated. The pulling of your toe should last about 15-30 seconds and it should be repeated about 2-4 times in a single session. It is recommended to do this exercise several times a day.

Towel Stretching
This exercise is very simple to do. It’s best to find a comfortable and flat surface where you can sit down with your legs straight. Now take a rolled towel and place it underneath the ball of your foot. While holding the two ends of the towel in your hands, gently start to pull. It’s important to keep your knee straight during the exercise. Similar to the toe stretching, keep the pulled position for 15-30 seconds and repeat 3-4 times.

Ball Stretching
Another easy exercise involves a tennis ball or rolling pin. It can be done while sitting or standing, although standing is the best position. Simply place the ball or rolling pin underneath the arch of your foot and start rolling in the arch. You can do this exercise for as long as it feels comfortable.

Using these stretch exercises in conjunction with other aids such as night splints and shoe inserts can dramatically relieve the pain of plantar fasciitis.

Is Never Removing Nail Polish Unhealthy for Toenails?

There’s an ongoing dispute surrounding nail polish and the effects it could have when worn too long, especially on toenails. One of the most common beliefs is that toenails need to breathe in order to stay healthy. The fact of the matter is that different people will experience different results, but there are some basic guidelines that will help you know what’s best for your toes.

The Facts

• First and foremost, nails are technically dead, which means they don’t breathe. Rumor has it that nails turn yellow when wearing nail polish for too long because they can’t breathe. Even though the nails can be stained, it’s more from the polish, not due to “breathing” issues.
• Secondly, nail polish does not cause fungus. Toenail fungus is caused from heat and moisture being trapped against the feet for prolonged periods of time or direct contact with fungus. However, wearing nail polish when you do have toenail fungus is not healthy.
• Thirdly, nail polish can damage toenails and make them brittle when it’s applied without a base coat. Some of the chemicals in nail polish tend to dry out nails, which shouldn’t be a problem if you use a high-quality base layer before applying polish.

Things to Consider

• Even though nails don’t breathe, they soak up moisture. Too much exposure to moisture and household chemicals can lead to stained and unhealthy nails, so always make sure they are dry before applying nail polish.
• A base layer is very important, because without it, nail polish can be soaked up into the nail. This is why nails turn yellow or blue in some cases. When a base layer is applied then nail polish won’t have this effect.

Ultimately there is no evidence to prove that permanent use of nail polish on toenails is unhealthy, but not everyone will have the same experience. For this reason most experts agree that there should be periods when your nails should be without nail polish, even if only for a few days. If anything it will help you to keep tabs on the condition of your nails and better able to see if there is a problem forming from some other cause.

Why a Bunion Can Affect Your Shoe Fit and What You Can Do

Bunions are notoriously uncomfortable, and can interfere with normal physical activities such as walking or exercising. Although a bunion may appear to be a growth on the skin, it is actually a disorder caused from a misalignment of the bones of the feet. The most common type of bunion affects the joint connecting your big toe to your foot (called the metatarsophalangeal joint, or MTP joint), causing the joint to protrude or jut out from the foot at an angle. Bunions can also develop on the opposite side of your foot (near your little toe), in which case they are called “bunionettes” or “tailor’s bunions.”

Bunions typically develop as a result of repetitive pressure and stress on the bones of the feet due to wearing shoes that do not provide enough room for the toes (i.e., high heels, pointed-toe shoes, etc.). This could partially explain why women suffer from bunions nearly 10 times more than men. Bunions often irritate the skin and can cause redness and swelling at the MTP joint. Your big toe can also begin to point towards your other toes, and it may become increasingly difficult to find shoes that fit well without rubbing against the bunion. As a result, you may notice that the shoes that you used to wear are now too restrictive, and may be causing you discomfort.

So what can be done to remedy the situation? One practical step you can take is to start wearing shoes that offer plenty of room for your toes. In addition, shoes that lace up or buckle tend to provide more support than slip-on shoes. It is also recommended that you avoid wearing high heels or other narrow-toed shoes as much as possible. There are several pads available that are designed to cover your bunion and keep it from rubbing against your shoes. In addition, you can buy insoles that will help keep pressure off your bunion when you walk.

If your bunion is more severe, surgery may be required, because it may get worse over time if it goes untreated. Since there are several different types of bunion surgery options available, it is best to consult with a qualified podiatrist before coming to any final decisions.

Caring for Toenail Trauma

If you’ve had a toenail injury, you know that this type of trauma can be very painful, but it can also have serious consequences. Therefore, it’s important to properly care for the injured toenail in order to prevent complications such as nail thickening (which is commonly caused by severe trauma to the growth center of the nail, also known as the nail matrix), dystrophy or even permanent nail loss. Here are four easy-to-follow tips on caring for toenail trauma:

1. Stop the Bleeding
   If there’s an open wound, the first thing you need to do is to stop the bleeding by applying direct pressure to the wound using a clean cloth. Sometimes, the bleeding occurs under the nail, and if that’s the case, then it will slowly start to subside.
2. Keep the Wound Clean
   Open wounds run a risk for infection, it’s vital to carefully clean and disinfect the wound. This is particularly important if the nail is torn. Clean the wound and the surrounding area with lukewarm water and preferably antibacterial soap, then apply a layer of antibiotic ointment before applying a sterilized bandage.
3. Minimize the Swelling
   Now that you’ve stopped the bleeding and reduced the risk for infection, try to minimize the swelling and the pain by taking over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen and/or by applying ice packs to the affected area every couple of hours. Depending on how severe the toenail trauma is, it may take several days to a week for the swelling to completely subside.
4. Keep an Eye on the Injury and Look for Signs of Infection
   Follow-up is very important when managing severe toenail trauma, so make sure to change the bandages, re-apply the antibiotic ointment whenever needed and to keep applying ice packs until the swelling is gone. The nail may slowly separate from the nail bed and start to fall off, so it’s extremely important to monitor for signs of infection. If you do see puss or redness or feel intense heat around the wound, then seek medical treatment from your doctor. Depending on the cause of the injury, you may also need to get a tetanus shot.

How to Tell If You Have a Stress Fracture

Stress fractures are very small cracks that develop in a bone. A stress fracture is somewhat of a subtle injury, because it does not come from one particular event, but from repetitive stress over a period of time. Many basketball players, distance runners, and other athletes who are involved in high-impact sports experience stress fractures. When muscles become fatigued through overuse, they will eventually be unable to absorb any more shock from repetitive impact. Once this happens, they begin to transfer that shock to your bones, eventually causing stress fractures. Since the lower leg and feet are some of the main weight-bearing bones in our bodies, they are the ones that most commonly become subject to stress fractures; in fact, studies show that over 50% of all adolescent and adult stress fractures take place in the lower leg.

So what are the signs of a stress fracture, and how can you tell if you have one? One of the most immediate ways to tell is if you begin to notice an increase of pain in your lower legs or feet, especially if you have just recently changed or increased your physical activity. Sometimes starting a new workout routine or increasing the intensity of your regular physical exercise can lead to stress fractures, especially if you attempt to do too much too soon. With stress fractures, the pain typically intensifies when you begin any high-impact activity and subsides when you’re at rest. In addition, the pain is often dull and persistent versus sharp and throbbing, and may be accompanied by swelling. The fracture may be getting worse if it takes less and less time for the pain to “kick in” after you begin an activity. Stress fractures can definitely be painful, but they will normally heal themselves with nothing more than a few weeks or months of rest.

The best way to diagnose a stress fracture is to visit a doctor and undergo a physical examination. Keep in mind that due to their small size, stress fractures can often go undetected by X-ray machines, so an MRI or other medical imaging techniques may be required. The best treatment for a stress fracture is to just simply rest while the bone naturally mends itself, which can typically take between 6 to 8 weeks or sometimes longer depending upon the severity of the injury. Be careful not to return to physical activity too soon, as this may exacerbate the injury and cause greater damage over time.

Soothing Dry, Cracked Feet in Winter

The cold winter air can be very rough on your skin – especially the skin on your feet! Some of the best ways to soothe your dry, cracked feet this winter include:

• Brushing Your Feet. That’s right – brush them! Use a dry, natural bristled brush to gently brush your feet in a circular motion. This exfoliates the skin, as well as stimulates blood flow and skin cell regeneration.
• Smooth Skin with a Pumice Stone. A pumice stone is basically a hard volcanic rock that smoothes any hard or rough areas of the feet when wetted and rubbed against them. A great time to do this is at the end of a shower or bath. If your feet are severely cracked, you may find it painful to smooth them with the pumice stone. At this point, you should consult a podiatrist who can consult with you on how to safely treat your feet.
• Moisturize! In addition to the above methods, don’t forget to moisturize. Look for lotions and creams that include natural ingredients like coconut oil or shea butter that won’t irritate your dry skin. Apply every evening before bed and you’ll notice a difference in no time!