Pregnancy alters feet and increases risk of arthritis

Pregnancy can change the size and shape of women’s feet, causing the arches to drop and increasing the risk of arthritis, according to research published in the American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.

A study of 49 pregnant women found that in 60%–70% of cases the feet became longer and wider after the first three months of pregnancy but had not begun to shrink five months after giving birth.

The fact that not all women experience the change in foot size and shape suggests that the changes occur during the first pregnancy and do not reverse, so no change is needed during future pregnancies.

The change in foot shape could put mothers at higher risk of arthritis later in life and explains why more women than men are affected by it, the researchers say.

“We know that women, and especially women who have had children, are disproportionately affected by musculoskeletal disorders,” explains Dr Neil Segal who led the study. “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.”