Why Do My Feet Hurt So Much Post Pregnancy?

I had the same problem after my first pregnancy. It sounds like plantar facitis. I can't remember what type of dr I saw, but he gave me foot exercises to do a few times/day. The pain did go away after a few months.

It sounds to me like you might be experiencing Plantar Fasciitis. It's heel pain and pain in your feet or foot and I started getting it after I gained weight with my son. It's actually pretty common- here is a link with some info on it:

http://www.footphysicians.com/footankleinfo/heel-pain.htm

find a good chiropractor. If you live in the NW suburbs I have a few good recommendations. Being pregnant throws your body out of line and now most likely you are having pains as your body overcompensates somewhere

sounds like you have plantars fascitis (sp?) get some insoles with arch support & no more flip flops or bare feet. Make an appointment with a podiatrist. Also before you get out of bed in the morning, make your toes flex like you are picking up something with them. It helps!
Good luck! It does get better if you address it soon & always wear shoes.

During my preganancy last year I had severe swelling in my legs and feet. After I delivered I still had a little swelling but it decrease as time went on. Since my feet had been swollen for so long, when I started to drop the fluid off of my body they were still tender afterwards. I suggest that you ask you ob/gyn for any remedies. It probably due to your body trying to adjust to its pre-pregnancy size. Good Luck!

You probably have plantar fasiciatis (spelling?) I have it too. Extra weigt can make it worse and there are lots of options for treatment. Go to a podiatrist you trust. My doctor ended up taping my feet a certain wat for a few months, and gave me stretches to do. Then he gave me over the counter orthodics to try. This has worked for me. I have had it come back once, and I starting retaping for a couple of weeks, and no more pain!

I have one friend who is having surgery for this, and I have spoken to many people with the problem and different therapy works for different people.

Hi F.,
More than likely it's something called "plantar facitis". It's fairly common but something your OB/GYN may not tell you about. I had it too. There are things you can do to relieve the symptoms like: wearing good shoes with support, freezing a plastic water bottle and rolling your feet on it and certain stretches. I'm sure there is a ton of info on the internet too. Hope you feel better.

Had the same problem when I moved here from SC. I was about 30 lbs over weight. Tried to eat my anger over moving here away. Then I got pregnant and put on 45 to 50 pounds. My feet were killing me. I nearly fell on the floor every time I got out of bed or stood up out of a chair. My hubby said I looked like an old woman hobbling around.

Now after some research I'm pretty sure it was an inflammatory issue. I had serious inflammation from
1.) being over weight
2.) suffering more from allergies because of bad environmental conditions I didn't experience before
3.) being pregnant made it worse
4.) tennis with no cushion or support would really do me in...went on a breast cancer walk with canvas tennis on because I didn't have anything else with me and I could barely walk the next day.

Eventually the pain went away after:

I lost weight
Started allergy shots

I've not suffered from it again even with two more pregnancies...so not sure what did or did not happen this time...I didn't continue with the shots either. I did those for about a year on two different stints so not sure if that's a factor or not.

But I didn't swell with the other pregnancies either.

?????? I've read quite a bit about the condition and I have a male cousin that suffers from it too. He's a bit over weight and stands alot. He has to buy special shoes to prevent the condition.

YEP! It sounds like a heel spur. I had an extra 75 lbs. (!) after my first, I thought I would just live with the pain, it was only when I first got up, I was busy with the new baby, etc. After two years the pain was almost nothing. Then one tiny mis-step off the curb...in a cast with a broken foot ALL summer! Dr. stated that my "tough act" was slowing weakening my foot all along.

Please go see a doctor.

Hi,

Congrats on your baby, I hope it's doing well! I've had PF that was corrected by orthotics I got from a podiatrist, but I also recall after having my twins having a lot of foot and joint pain that was different than the PF. It did gradually go away, so I figured it was just hormonal readjustment and my ligaments all going back into place after the relaxin hormone left my system. I remember being stumped as to why my feet would hurt AFTER my pregnancy. Whatever you do, I would recommend seeing a podiatrist. Good luck!

As many others have noted, yes, it's normal, and it's from the ligaments relaxing. I don't remember how long it lasted, but I don't think it was too long. For me I felt it more through the instep/arch area than the heels. As some posters mentioned, if it could be plantar fascitis you should get it checked out. It might be worth a visit to a podiatrist to be sure. Good Luck, and I wish you and your baby healthy recoveries!

If it is both feet..tendons and ligaments relax to allow the baby to come out. Mother nature also let the whole bodies ligaments and tendons relax so arches fall, feet get wider/longer and we usually have extra weight so it is emphasized. So get really good running shoes like NIKE with a great extra arch support add additional arch support by adding inserts like spencos or other running orthotics. The expensive way is to get orthotics made. This eliminated my pain in a few weeks and took about 6 months for my feet to be able to stand barefoot. Wear the shoes from the minute you get up in the morning. Always call your doctor for problems especially if there is swelling redness, unilateral pain, fever, high blood pressure. They can always write a prescription for an orthotic to be made.

FIRST.....make sure you are wearing a good shoe with plenty of support ( you may need a new pair if your "pre-baby" ones show wear). If this doesnt' help, you may need actual medical attention. I would suggest your gynie before the podiatrist.....you may have a blood clot.

Sounds like Plantar Fasciitis. Normal weight gain during pregnancy probably caused strain on your arches and plantar fascia. Try stretching exercises(that involve flexing the feet toward the shins) before getting out of bed or when you have been sitting for long period. Proper shoes and/or insoles can be of great benefit. I use an insole called 'heel that pain'. It helps a lot. I also have a pair of Merrell shoes which are helpful to some people. They are not the cutest shoe, though.

I see you have gotten lots of great responses. I also had P.F. following delivery. It really hurts! The good news is that it went away on its own. I did try to stretch my foot muscles at least once a day and that helped. Congratulations and good luck to you!

call could be a blood clot or something

I experienced something similar during/after my first pregnancy and am starting to get symptoms again during this one.

One question - you say your heels hurt. Do they feel fine when you're sitting or lying down, but as soon as you get up it feels like you're stepping on shards of glass? Do you also feel this sensation along the arches of your feet? If so, this could be plantar fasciitis (sp?). I've had this before and it KILLS! Fortunately you can help the problem by wearing shoes that keep your feet from overpronating, using an over-the-counter insert like SuperFeet or Spencos, or using heel cups (they stabilize the foot so it isn't wobbling all over the place when you walk, causing problems). Personally, my feet are really flat and Asics were exactly what I needed to bring stability to my gait and support to my feet. Go to a GOOD shoe store (like a New Balance or any reputable running store) and see what they have to say.

My pain was more of a burning sensation in the arch near the heel and through the center of the foot. Sitting down I was fine but as soon as I got up, I'd limp because it hurt so badly.

I went to the doctor who suggested I RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) and take Tylenol to help with the pain. It helped to a certain degree and then when the baby weight (plus a bunch more that I needed to drop) came off, the issue went away.

Your BEST bet would be to talk to your doctor and have him/her do an exam. It could just be lingering effects of pregnancy hormones or it could be something else. Make an appointment so you can get some peace of mind and find out for sure what's wrong before trying to fix the issue on your own. Good luck - it's a downer when your feet hurt!

Congrats on your little one!! I too had the same problem. So bad that I had to go to the podiatrist. She confirmed I have achilles tendonitis and plantar tendonitis. I had to do some therapy, but they are better now. However, if you do not get it checked out you will never know if your achilles tendon could rupture (which is not something you want!) I have a friend, with a 6month old, who just had the surgery b/c hers ruptured and she is out for 6months now. So, I would rather be safe than sorry and get it checked out. Good luck!!

Did you get rid of all the water weight? Try sleeping with your feet up on pillows so that they are elevated. That should make a difference in a few days.

I would go see a foot doctor--it sounds like heel spurs,or pf. I developed them during pregnancy, too.

I have bad feet, but I had the same thing you have where it hurts when you first get up and start moving and then it is okay after you take some steps. It lasted for me until my son was about 8 months. Then it went away. I also had it when I was pregnant. So I think it has to do with your muscle tone from pregnancy and weight gain.

It sounds like Heel Spurs. I have them & have been getting treated for them. You can do stretching exercises, to help the pain. Keep your foot arched, stretching the heel. Check out the Internet for better descriptions & more easy exercises. Also, the most important things is to always wear something on your feet, never go barefoot. You need to support your arch. I am being treated with cortisone injections & they work wonders. They also use Feldane (sp?)an anti-inflammatory to treat it. Losing the extra weight will also help. You can also try Spenco Orthotics to put in your shoes. My Dr. recommeneded them.
Best of luck.

I gave birth to #2 in April and I have had the same problem. I believe it is caused by relaxin, a hormone secreted during pregnancy that relaxes your joints to prepare for child birth. It is the presence of this hormone that causes our feet to "grow" during pregnancy as well...I am now in a solid size 9 shoe after 2 children, when pre-kids I wore an 8. I went up a half size each time because my feet stretched out! Anyway, as this hormone is being removed from your system, it can make your joints feel stiff because the relaxin is no longer there to make them feel pliable. I sometimes notice this in my knees too. Once your system is completely rid of the relaxin and your body has adjusted, you'll probably notice the pain has subsided.

Hope this helps!!

It sounds like plantar facisitis (sp?). I had this for a year before I saw a podiatrist and figured it out. The suggestions already given are good - wear good shoes ALL the time, from the moment you get out of bed, stretch, massage, ice, etc. Also, if you can find a good massage therapist, there are trigger points in your calf muscle that can be worked to relieve the pain in your foot. If you happen to be in Northwest Indiana, I can give you the number of one who knows the technique. It will heal if you take care of it - good luck!

It sounds like you have Plantar Fasciitus (sp?). I have this and experience the exact same symptoms that you are having. This is from the tendon that spans the bottom of your foot tightening. You can help stretch it by lunges. You can also do a stretch by standing on a stair (facing toward the stairs) and letting your heels drop below the step. I saw a podiatrist and had inserts made for my shoes that were molded to my feet. They do help a lot, but movement and stretching is key as well. If you can take Advil that will help in relieving some of the inflammation pain of the area. I hope this helps. Good luck! (And congratulations!)

I also had foot pain after pregnancy. The podiatrist told me the same hormones that prepare the body to give birth also relax all your ligaments. He made me custom orthotics for my shoes~don't work in sandals~ but maybe you could try arch supports.
Also:
Later I developed heel pain like you describe~pain upon waking & standing. This is plantar fasciatis (sp?) I resolved it by using a towel to stretch calve muscles upon waking & several times a day.
When I took up running on a treadmill I got heel spurs from not stretching properly. To resolve this I saw a Rolfer a few times. This is a kind of deep massage, sometimes called structural integration.
I finally have no foot pain!