Thousands of pregnant women could be damaging their feet every year by wearing incorrect shoes.
Heavily pregnant shoe lover Angelina Jolie has even admitted to lowering her heels and wearing insoles to make walking more comfortable.
Research has shown that two of the most common foot problems experienced by pregnant women, over-pronation or flat-feet, and edema which can cause pain at the heel, arch and ball of the foot could be avoided by wearing correct footwear.
Due to natural weight gain during pregnancy, flat feet can occur as a woman’s foot arch flattens out causing feet to roll inwards when walking. This can make walking very painful as the plantar fascia (the fibrous band of tissue running from the heel to the front of the foot) becomes inflamed. Oedema usually occurs in the late stages of pregnancy and is a result of poor circulation due to excess pressure on blood vessels in the pelvis and legs which cause the feet to swell as blood pools in the lower parts of the body. The best way of dealing with these problems is by wearing footwear specifically developed for women that mould to the feet such as sandals which incorporate Q-Form technology or ‘Anatomic’ sandals, such as Birkenstocks, which can reduce over-pronation by distributing weight more effectively and offering arch support to the feet.
Women and men walk differently and Q-Form shoes such as Merrell sandals compensate for a woman’s pronounced Q Angle (the angle between hip and knee, which can cause a cycle of supination and pronation during walking and running) to alleviate discomfort. Anatomic sandals steer the toes, promoting the natural rolling movement of the foot, help shift pressure from the middle to the front of the foot, reducing over-pronation, giving the foot a firm hold and maintaining the heel profile.
Emma Barlow of Fitness Footwear, said: “Being pregnant doesn’t mean you can’t be comfortable. Women can really benefit from moulded insoles for help with over-pronation and footwear such as the Merrell Q Form can offer essential support to the foot arch; making walking infinitely more comfortable – whilst ultimately remaining funky and stylish.”
June 2008
Information by Fitness Footwear
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Pregnancy Advice London
