It’s not a myth. Pregnancy really can and does make women go up in shoe size, and unfortunately, for some women, their feet stay bigger too. This phenomenon can be confusing, after all, why can your foot size increase when you’re pregnant but not when you put on weight? Today, we’re sharing exactly why.
When you’re pregnant, your body is flooded with a number of different hormones. One of these is called relaxin, and it’s responsible for helping to soften and loosen your ligaments and tissues. This is essential as your body is constantly growing and expanding to accommodate your growing baby. Without softer ligaments, this process could be very painful.
Aside from helping the ligaments and tissues in your abdominal area expand, it also affects your feet, as well as the rest of your body. You have a lot of ligaments in your feet that are responsible for keeping bones stable, held in position, and supported. As these loosen, your foot may ‘relax’ and flatten – especially with the increased weight and pressure they’re under. This can result in both an increased width and length of the foot, as well as a generally ‘flatter’ foot.
This is why your feet generally do not increase in size with weight gain (unless there are other factors involved), but do in pregnancy.
Unfortunately, there’s not a lot you can do to prevent hormones from flooding your body and having this effect. What you can do is keep your feet supported throughout your pregnancy. This includes:
By keeping your arch supported, you can help limit the stretching of the ligaments on the feet. Having your feet supported with shoe and orthotics can also help prevent overuse injuries from muscles and tendons of the feet and legs having to work harder to keep you moving with a flatter foot position.
Your shoes will also help restore some stability that may be lost with looser ligaments. A good example is ankle sprains – with the ligaments supporting your ankle not being as ‘firm’ as they originally were, you may have a higher risk of ankle sprains. Wearing good, supportive shoes that cup the ankle can help prevent this.
If your feet have gone up in size and width, make sure you get shoes that fit your new size and don’t try to squeeze into your previous pairs. Trust us, as parents ourselves, the last thing you want with a new baby is foot pain. Invest in new comfortable shoes to limit any rubbing against the sides of your feet, and pressing up against the front of your toes.
While some people will return back to their original foot size, others won’t. It’s hard to predict – and even harder to control. Our best advice is to keep your feet supported and protected throughout your pregnancy.
Our experienced podiatry team would love to help. We’re parents too – so we totally get it. You can book your appointment online by clicking here or call us on (09) 523 2333
At Perform Podiatry, we specialise in conservative, evidence-based treatments that are safe, effective, and suitable for patients of all ages. One of the most successful options we offer is high-strength salicylic acid therapy.
When most people think of podiatry, they picture orthotics, skin/nail care, or sports injury treatment. But podiatry isn’t just about what’s
happening mechanically in your feet, it’s also about supporting the body’s natural healing processes.
One treatment that’s gaining popularity in podiatric care is acupuncture — a technique with ancient roots and modern
scientific backing.
Even a few minutes of foam rolling per day can make a significant difference in your lower limb health. Focus on the calves, hamstrings, IT
band, and plantar fascia. Combine with stretching and strengthening for best results.
Read this blog to find out more about the benefits of Foam rolling.
Keeping your family on their feet and helping them to walk, run, play and exceed their goals is why we love getting up in the morning.
Ground Floor, One Health Building
122 Remuera Rd, Remuera
Auckland 1050, New Zealand
| MON - FRI | 7:30am – 6:30pm |
| SAT | 8:30am – 4:30pm |
| SUN | Some availability |
Make an Appointment
Online Schedule
Our virtual receptionist is available 24/7 to help with general questions, booking requests, and clinic information, even when our team is busy, or it's after hours.
Whether you're calling us or using our website, you'll get fast assistance any time of day. And if your query needs a personal touch, a member of our team will follow up as soon as possible.