Being pregnant is a joyous and miraculous experience. Women can go through a lot of changes during their pregnancy course. There are ups and downs along the ride, but in the end it’s always worth it to see your baby’s first smile. Unfortunately, an overlooked pregnancy complaint is foot pain.

The natural weight gain that comes with pregnancy can severely shift a woman’s center of gravity. By simply changing your center of gravity you change your stance, the amount of pressure on your knees and feet, and your overall gait. At Frederick Foot and Ankle Specialists we can help alleviate some pains brought by pregnancy. Two common foot problems experienced by pregnant women are over-pronation (moving the foot/ankle inward) and edema (swelling).

Flat feet can occur from the sudden increase in weight and gait changes. The arch may flatten and cause the feet to roll inward while walking. This of course can create further problems, such as, agitating your plantar fascia. By bottoming-out your arches you can cause extreme stretching on your plantar fascia, which can create plantar fasciitis (a condition that is painful and lengthy on the bottom of your feet). Another common problem in pregnant women is the development of ligamentous laxity (loosening of ligaments). The body tries to compensate for the sudden changes by allowing the ligaments to stretch and accommodate more. However, this can lead to permanent flat feet, along with many other local and systemic conditions. So before all these conditions occurs to you, come see Dr. Yanes, Dr. Steinberg, or Dr. Ho in our offices located at Frederick or Urbana, MD.

Any woman is susceptible to having foot pains while being pregnant! When Angelina Jolie was pregnant with twins she used Nike insoles in her shoes to avoid her arches from bottoming-out from the extra weight. Just like Angelina Jolie did, you should seek out professional medical advice and see what can prevent/alleviate your foot pain! At Frederick Foot and Ankle Specialist we will try all the conservative methods to help ease the pain. We can recommend stable shoes, proper-fitting over-the-counter arch supports and if needed some prescribed orthotics.

As always check your feet daily and stop by! It can help avoid future health problems!

It's summertime! The sun is out, the weather is warm and most importantly, you can finally start wearing more heels to go along with those summer dresses. Though heels are fashionable, they can come at a cost. At Fredrick Foot and Ankle Specialists we don’t condemn this style of footwear but, we tell our patients that heels can have physical toll on your feet. Frequent heel-wearers can see complications of heels range from forefoot pain, pain in your Achilles tendon, bunions, corn and calluses. Not to mention you can easily get a sprained ankle.

Forefoot pain is generally located at the ball of your foot and is caused by the pinching of nerves. Heels, in some people, cause the Achilles tendon to shorten or tighten up. This affects your ability to walk and you may need some sort of wedge for added support. The most common complications from heels are corns and calluses. They are generally caused by an increase in rubbing of bone. The skinnier the heel is the less balance and stability you may have while walking. The slightest misstep in skinny high-heels can leave you prone to a sprained ankle.

Generally, women ages 30-40 or women wearing heels on a daily basis can be more prone to heel-usage complications. In recent news, Popstar Lady Gaga has recently sought out medical treatment from a podiatrist in the UK. She had been wearing high-inch heels every day from nearly the moment she wakes up to the moment she goes to bed. Her constant wear of heels has caused her to get corns. The high-heels have exacerbated her genetically predetermined bunions and have also started shooting pain in her Achilles tendon. If Lady Gaga is interested she should stop by our offices for some treatment!

Dr. Yanes and Dr. Steinberg are the podiatrists at Frederick Foot and Ankle Specialists and are here to help if you have any complications from the heels or any foot-related problems. They understand that sometimes heels are necessary and sometimes even avoidable to wear. But what is important to keep in mind is the height of the heel and how much you wear it. Feel free to stop by our one of our two offices at Frederick, MD or Urbana, MD to seek consultation or medical treatment.

By: Dr. Yenisey Yanes