Running and avoiding widening feet

H

halleluyah

New member
Hey all,
First just want to say I really appreciate this community and currently is my only expecting moms forum I feel good about participating in.

I’m at 11 w 1 d and I’m finally beginning to get some energy back to run and do longer workouts. (It’s like one good day, then one puke all day. Hopefully this means morning sickness is ending?)

However, I have one very vain concern.

Widening feet. Look, I already have wide feet and finally have curated a shoe collection that I love. I really don’t want to start from scratch with an even wider set.

So pregnant runners, did you do anything to prevent this? Compression socks on all runs?
Sticking to 6 mile distance or under?

Also as a side note: looking up how to prevent this, the advice online says don’t walk around the house barefoot. But what shoes would be best? Does a structured ugg slipper count? Or should I be in sneakers or dansko clogs at all times? Should I completely forgo flats and heels?

Thanks for taking time to answer my dumb question :/
 
@halleluyah I'm not sure there's a way to prevent it, but after running, jumping, lifting, and walking barefoot through two complete pregnancies, my shoes are the same size they were before. I hope this gives you hope!
 
@usmckoontz Also, same! I am almost always barefoot and that didn't change during either pregnancy.

I do feel like one of my toes ended up a tiny bit longer, which is weird, but since having babies I'm prone to losing my toenail on that toe after really long runs. 🤷‍♀️
 
@halleluyah I’m not much of a runner, but I’m a backpacker and I did quite a few 20-25 mile days with a pack during the second trimester—and I’m hoping to keep it up for as long as I can in the third trimester. I was worried about widening feet (I have wide feet, and it’d be a small nightmare to figure out footwear if my feet get any wider!), but so far my feet haven’t changed at all at 29+ weeks. I have compression socks for low blood pressure but I haven’t used them for hiking. I’ve also been walking around barefoot at home, and I regularly workout in barefoot running sandals on an elliptical without any issues. I know my feet might widen as I get further into the third trimester, but I’m hopeful!
 
@halleluyah Right? I could hardly get off the couch for most of the first trimester, and a gentle 3 mile hike at week 13 almost destroyed me, so if you’re thinking thinking about running at all during the first trimester that probably a good sign that things might let up a bit soon!
 
@halleluyah Also not a runner, but compression socks at home and while on walks/working has been amazing. They’ve prevented swelling for me really well and they just make my feet feel GOOD
 
@halleluyah Not a runner but an avid rower and gym goer. I felt like the my arches started hurting during the 2nd trimester, so I got some molded inserts to help keep them where they need to be and haven't felt nearly as uncomfortable since.
 
@halleluyah I’m a runner and ran up to 17 miles during my pregnancies. I kept up with weekend long runs until the mid second tri of my last pregnancy of up to a few hours. This is certainly anecdotal but I didn’t experience a change in my feet at all.
 
@halleluyah I think some of this is genetic too. My mom’s feet grew half a size with each pregnancy. Mine have grown maybe a quarter. They grew a little more than that with my first but went back down after breastfeeding was over. I suspect relaxin is the culprit. I know my body produces a lot because I kept injuring myself despite being careful
 
@halleluyah Compression socks worked great for me to reduce swelling while pregnant.

The swelling will go away after baby is born (but will get worse for a week or two pp, just to warn you). But if you’re one of those people who’s feet grow with pregnancy, unfortunately, I don’t think there’s anything you can do. My mom grew half a shoe size each pregnancy, but my feet are the same size. I think it’s just genetics/luck.
 
@halleluyah I am 32 weeks and still working out (Orangetheory) and am a runner. I have been wearing flip flops because they're easy to put on and slippers when I am not in my work or running shoes. So far...I haven't had any widening of my feet (and I already have wide feet, including a bunion and arthritis in my right big toe). I actually haven't had any swelling either. So my hopes are high!
 
@halleluyah I ran through pregnancy, averaging 40 miles per week for the first two trimesters and 20 miles per week for the third, and my feet are exactly the same size as they were pre-pregnancy! I kept up with long runs, up to 12 miles in the first two trimesters, and up to 10 in the 3rd. Also, I gained 41 pounds--I believe weight gain is a factor in feet changing size?

I did find that I liked having arch support 24/7 towards the end of pregnancy (so no walking around the house barefoot cuz it was uncomfortable). I wore oofos flip flops around the house.
 
@halleluyah Hey! Physical therapist here. I think widening feet and already wide feet can be in part, contributed to ligamentous laxity. For example, bunions grow generally because a person has lax foot ligaments, and has less elasticity of the foot, so when you step, increased pressure gets pushed under the joint of the big toe, resulting in over growth of the bone.
When one is pregnant and nursing, ligaments throughout the body become more relaxed and flexible, this can exacerbate laxity in the foot and could increase the spread of the foot bones. I would recommend to protect the ligaments in your feet to #1 wear a supportive shoe around the house (like a thong sandal with arch support like vionics or chacos or superfeet). I would also recommend wearing a supportive running shoe with a pre-fab orthotic (superfeet are my favorite because they are a hard plastic and don’t deform as you run like a squishy orthotic). In looking for a shoe, you want it to have some support coming up the sides I.e. not the shoes made of a sock/mesh like material. It doesn’t have to be hard but it should be able to give the bones a little support so that as you run, the foot bones are not splaying.
Hope this help! Let me know if you have any questions.
 
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