Coping with tired and aching legs in pregnancy
26th August 2011 by SevenSeasLife | 0 Comments
Congratulations, you’re starting a family and embarking on a completely new phase of your life. It’s exciting, rewarding, fulfilling and a little daunting. Unfortunately, this wonderful time can be spoiled by various changes in your body. For instance, you may notice that you have tired and aching legs and that your ankles swell. You may think it’s just down to the extra weight you’re carrying and there’s nothing you can do about it, but you’d be wrong.
The role of circulation
Pregnancy produces increased levels of progesterone which relax the muscles in the veins of your leg so they become more elastic. This means that poor circulation can be made worse and blood can ‘pool’ in your lower leg veins. As the blood travels up the veins in your legs back to your heart, it’s helped by your calf muscles when you walk or exercise, and by one-way valves in the veins which prevent the blood dropping back down. If these valves aren’t working properly or they’re relaxed by progesterone during pregnancy, you may get bulging in the veins. This can be painful and cause aching legs. In some cases, it can also lead to varicose veins.
Avoiding tried and aching legs
The biggest cause of tired legs is standing or sitting for too long.One remedy is to exercise your calf muscles by standing up and down on your tiptoes, rotating your ankles and moving your foot up and down.You should rest your legs whenever you can, elevating them if possible so that they’re higher than your heart. Don’t cross your legs when seated. Use compression hosiery. This gently squeezes your ankle and calf so that blood is forced up the veins. You should have your legs measured to find the ideal size. Your pharmacist or midwife will do this for you and recommend the correct hosiery for your needs
Be vigilant
If the discomfort persists or gets worse, you should see your midwife or GP, particularly if you have swelling in one leg, pain when moving your leg, or tenderness or redness in the calf as it may be a symptom of something more serious.
General tips for good leg health
Regular walking and exercising is good for your legs as well as your general health. So is watching your diet so that you don’t put on too much weight when pregnant. Moisturise your legs to make sure the skin remains supple. Check your legs and feet regularly for any changes. If you spot a bulging vein, talk to your doctor. Keep your toe nails trim and look after your feet and always wear comfortable shoes.
Enjoy your pregnancy
Pregnancy is a wonderful time in your life and it’s a shame that certain aspects of it can be uncomfortable. But with a little care you can reduce the discomfort of tired and aching legs and help avoid the lasting problem of varicose veins.
Image My Pregnant Wife courtesy of davhor on Flickr
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