It’s easy to think that the key determinants of good shoes at any age are having the right length and width paired with optimum comfort. While these factors are indeed essential, when it comes to older feet, it is important to take into account the natural changes that occur to the body and feet with age, and the cumulative effects of spending over half a century on our feet, especially with more Australians retiring later in life.
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Pregnancy has a remarkable effect on our entire body – and while our key focus may be on our growing baby and belly, there’s one part of the body that has to take on all of the effects of both the physical changes as well as the hormonal changes that a woman’s body goes through – our feet.
With foot pain and discomfort in pregnancy having the potential to limit our daily activities, exercise potential, and add further strain on our already exhausted bodies, taking small steps to look after the feet can make a massive difference to the way a woman feels and how she experiences day-to-day life throughout her three trimesters. Here are eight simple and effective ways to look after your feet during pregnancy, as recommended and used by podiatrists.
During pregnancy, your blood volume increases by around 50% and your growing uterus can put pressure on the surrounding structures, including the vena cava vein that is responsible for helping return the blood from your legs back to the heart, slowing its flow. This combination, with the heart having a harder time to pump blood back up the legs, can lead to swelling, which often presents in the ankles and feet.
To help reduce your swelling and the associated discomfort, start by elevating your feet and legs above the level of your hips (or heart if you’re laying down) to allow the blood to return to the upper body more easily, and drinking plenty of water to help promote healthy kidney function. Next, invest in some medical grade compression socks that have a compression rating in mmHg. mmHg stands of millimetres of mercury and you can interpret a reading of ‘20-30 mmHg’ as the amount of compression will not fall below 20mmHg or exceed 30mmHg. The most common rating available at the chemist is between 15-20 mmHg, which is the recommended place to start. For anything higher, we recommend you consult your GP.
With the weight of your whole body resting on your feet with every step, achy feet are a common part of the pregnancy journey for many women. This is where orthotics may help restore a better foot posture, improve your comfort, and help your feet feel well supported throughout the day. Our orthotics are custom-made following a 3D scan of your feet and legs, paired with an extensive biomechanical assessment to ensure that you’re getting the right support for the best outcomes for your feet. Your orthotics will work every time you’re wearing them, so keep them in your everyday shoes and enjoy the relief.
The normal physiological changes that occur during pregnancy can mean your feet may flatten and widen. Many women find that the width of their feet increases – and the length increases by between half a size to a full size too. This is where choosing a wider, well-fitted pair of shoes can make a world of difference. Just like length sizing options, many shoe brands offer different width options, which looks like a letter rating near where the size is displayed on the side of the box. For example, for Asics, their styles range from an A for a narrow foot, to E ratings (e.g. EE, EEEE) for extra wide feet. See our shoe store for the styles we recommend.
With your body and immune system working tirelessly throughout your pregnancy to support and protect both you and your baby, it may not be as focused on things like fungal nail infections. As fungal nail infections start as a minor infection that may look like a white or yellow spot or streak, and progressively worsen over time to become the full-nail infection you often see, treating fungal nail infections early is key to preventing them from getting out of control and becoming much more difficult to successfully treat.
We offer laser treatment for fungal nails, which is pregnancy-safe and doesn’t require any repeated painting of nail lacquers or products daily – which can be almost impossible if you struggle to reach your feet.
The normal physiological changes that occur with pregnancy can mean our ankles may feel weaker or less stable than they used to. An easy way to help with this is to choose supportive shoes that have a firm heel counter that enclose and support your ankles.
Our podiatrists can recommend the best shoes to match your foot type at your appointment, and you can also visit our online shoe store to see our recommended styles.
As your baby grows, your centre of gravity shifts and makes you adjust the way you walk. This can affect your hips, knees, legs and feet. If you are noticing any aches or pains, particularly in your feet, come in and see one of our podiatrists to discuss what management strategies might work best for you.
With the extra blood volume in the body and swelling in the feet, this can mean that your nail is more likely to push against the skin surrounding the nail, which can then turn into an ingrown toenail. Even a small nail spicule piercing the skin can become incredibly painful – and with it being more difficult to see or reach your toes, the problem could quickly escalate if an infection occurs. If you have an ingrown toenail, see your podiatrist to get it treated ASAP, either as a one-off or if this isn’t your first ingrown toenail, consider getting it fixed permanently.
When it comes to caring for women’s feet, our podiatrists at My FootDr are trusted by hundreds of Australians every day.
Book your appointment with our experienced podiatry team by calling us on 1800 FOOT DR or booking online here.
Hi, My name is Kimiya!
I graduated from La Trobe University in Melbourne with a Master of Podiatry.
I’m experienced in all aspects of podiatry but have a special interest in surgery for chronic or acute ingrown toenails, diabetic foot care, management and treatment of musculoskeletal conditions such as plantar heel pain.
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Just like any relationship in our lives, the one we have with our feet is two-sided: we look after them, and they’ll look after us as we take approximately 2.7 million steps every year. Whatever the challenge – hot ground, countless stairs, unsteady terrain, sharp rocks at the beach – we have the one pair of feet that get us through – and the way we treat and look after them will determine how long they can keep doing it for.
When it comes to caring for our feet – it’s easier than many people realise as it’s the little things over time that can make a big difference. To help treat your feet, our podiatrists have shared ten things your feet will love that will help them stay healthy and happy.
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The new school year brings a mix of excitement and chaos. Amongst the never-ending to-do list to get the kids prepared is a key priority: buying your kids a new pair of well-fitting school shoes that you feel confident will keep their feet supported and feeling great throughout the school year.
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As a tradie, you know the difference that having a good set of the right tools makes in helping your day run smoothly and efficiently. While most thoughts jump straight to the tool belt or box, what many people forget is that your feet and legs are also one of your most important tools – and having good foot care is like keeping your tools sharp or well-oiled.
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Approximately 200,000 Australians are hospitalised every year as a result of having a fall. Bone fractures are the most common type of injury resulting from a fall. While falls are most common in those aged over 65, young males aged 5-24 years are also particularly prone to falls.
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We spend roughly a third of our day in a workplace, but how much thought do we put into what impact our footwear choices have on the health of our feet over the course of our days – let alone our careers?
Sonia graduated from La Trobe University in 2019. Sonia has aspired to work in the health professional field, but always had podiatry in the back of her mind. This was stemmed from her first visit to the podiatrist when she was 5 years of age when she started toe walking, where she was given orthotics and exercises. It was from this encounter she developed an interest in podiatry.
Sonia enjoys all aspects of general podiatry and has a keen interest in ingrown toenails, diabetic foot care, management and treatment of musculoskeletal conditions such as plantar heel pain and Achilles’ pain.
In her spare time, Sonia enjoys keeping fit by going to the gym and involving herself in boxing and F45 classes, watching TV shows and movies and playing video games. She also enjoys spending time with her little nephew.
Hayley graduated from Central Queensland University, Rockhampton in 2020. She has been living in Central Queensland for the last 14 years, relocating from the Blue Mountains of NSW. Hayley has prior experience in customer service, with many roles in hospitality, nursing, beauty therapy and as a business owner. She has since found the best of both her passion for nursing and beauty therapy in podiatry, incorporating her many years of experience.
Hayley is dedicated and enthusiastic in sharing and providing podiatry to everyone in the community. She is driven to helping her community with excellence, empathy, energy and education. She hopes to get more involved in community events such as Rocky River Run and the Yeppoon Marathon. You will find Hayley outside of work hanging in Pilates studios, enjoying hikes and trail walking.
Hayley has a special interest in podiatry for children foot health and development, much as Sever’s disease, toe walking, in-toeing walking, flat feet, leg length discrepancies and everything in between. She enjoys working on challenging sports injury cases and incorporates these skills such as foot mobilisation therapies, dry needling and shockwave, with custom foot orthotics and appropriate footwear.
Hayley’s passion reaches into managing and treating complex cases, including but not limited to; above the ankle patients and patients that requires more specialised devices, such as Supramalleolar devices, Ankle Foot Orthoses and Custom Medical Grade Footwear. She has completed multiple comprehensive post-graduate training programs, too. Additionally, Hayley is skilled in the removal of ingrown toenails and performing podiatry pedicures. She has knowledge of gold-standard care principles for the diabetic foot to enable better care for those with high-risk feet. Hayley can also provide general nail and foot care, diabetes assessments, shockwave, laser therapy for fungal nails, Kery flex for nail aesthetics, and creating custom foot orthoses.
Hayley works from the Rockhampton and Yeppoon My FootDr’s and will be found occasionally working from the Mackay My FootDr clinic.