MONDAY, March 4 (HealthDay News) -- A new study may help confirm
what some women have long suspected -- that pregnancy permanently
changes the size and shape of their feet.
Among pregnant women, flat feet are a common problem. The arch
of the foot flattens out, possibly because of the extra weight and
increased looseness of the joints associated with pregnancy, the
University of Iowa researchers explained.
This loss of arch height appears to be permanent, according to
the study in the March issue of the
American Journal of Physical Medicine &
Rehabilitation.
"I had heard women reporting changes in their shoe size with pregnancy, but found nothing about that in medical journals or textbooks," Neil Segal, an associate professor of orthopedics and rehabilitation, said in a university news release.
"In order to study this more scientifically, we measured women's feet at the beginning of their pregnancy and five months after delivery," Segal said. "We found that pregnancy does indeed lead to permanent changes in the feet."
Segal and colleagues followed 49 pregnant women, collected arch
measurement during the first trimester of pregnancy and again about
five months after childbirth. In 60 to 70 percent of the women,
their feet became longer and wider -- as much as one-third inch
longer in some cases.
First pregnancies may cause the greatest amount of foot change,
while subsequent pregnancies may not further alter foot structure,
according to the researchers.
"We know that women, and especially women who have had children, are disproportionately affected by musculoskeletal disorders," said Segal, who also is an associate professor of radiology and epidemiology and director of the university's Clinical Osteoarthritis Research Program.
"It is possible that these foot changes that occur during pregnancy may help explain why, in comparison with men, women are at higher risk for pain or arthritis in their feet, knees, hips, and spines," Segal added.
Segal plans further studies to examine whether pregnancy-related
foot changes may lead to arthritis or other problems later in life.
He's also conducting research into ways to protect women's
musculoskeletal health during pregnancy.
More information
The U.S. Office on Women's Health has more about
pregnancy-related body changes and
discomforts.