Aching, Painful, Or Heavy Legs During Pregnancy

The third trimester of pregnancy can bring a sense of excitement, but can also be accompanied by some uncomfortable physical symptoms, achy legs being one of them. During the last few months of pregnancy, the body is preparing for labor and delivery and the extra weight can put extra pressure on the legs. As a result, many pregnant women experience achy, tired, and sometimes even swollen legs, especially in the third trimester. It’s important to pay attention to these symptoms and take steps to mitigate discomfort. In this blog post, we will discuss the causes of achy legs in the third trimester, and provide tips and tricks on how to manage the discomfort. Pregnancy can be a rollercoaster of emotions, and you deserve to feel your best. Keep reading to learn more about achy legs in the third trimester and how to manage them.

The Role Of Veins And Vascular Insufficiency

In a healthy state, arteries provide the body’s tissues and organs with nutrients necessary for their proper operation, such as oxygen. Veins, on the other hand, return blood to the heart. Blood can flow from the lower to upper part of the legs due to blood pressure and the firmness of the vein walls. Venous return is the term used to describe this blood flow through the veins and back up to the heart. There are valves, which function as tiny flaps, every 2 to 5 centimeters (0 8 to 2 inches) in the veins. These valves make sure that blood never “falls” back down the other way and always flows in the same direction. Blood flow is also influenced by the calf muscles and instep compression, especially when walking.

Several things can make vascular insufficiency during pregnancy more likely:

Heredity: If your mom has had circulatory issues, you run a higher risk of experiencing them yourself.

Working in a standing position and shuffling. Prolonged sitting can also disrupt venous return.

A sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical exercise.

Excess body weight prior to pregnancy, or significant weight gain during pregnancy.

Previous pregnancies: The risk of venous insufficiency increases with the number of previous pregnancies carried to term — 23 percent for the first pregnancy and 31 percent for the fourth.

To avoid circulatory impairments during pregnancy, prevention is essential. Try to lose weight if you can before becoming pregnant, and then keep pregnancy weight gain to a minimum. Other healthy routines to follow to prevent vascular insufficiency include:

Take walks or do light exercise, which boosts blood flow

Wear shoes with a small heel that is neither too high nor too flat (3 to 4 cm or 1 to 1.5 inches)

Avoid tight-fitting clothes and constricting socks

If you suffer from any plantar arch problems, wear corrective insoles

In certain cases, wearing compression stockings and taking venotonics may be recommended during pregnancy, starting in the second month

Try some of these suggestions to help relieve the discomfort if, despite taking these precautions, you still feel as though your legs are heavy:

Raise your feet from the foot of your bed

At the end of each shower, spray cold water over your legs in an upward motion from the ankles to the thighs

Avoid sources of heat (prolonged exposure to the sun, high-temperature baths, underfloor heating, etc.)

Massage your legs every day, from the ankles to the knees, using a specific treatment cream to increase blood return and stimulate blood flow

Elevate Your Legs To Improve Circulation

Leg elevation is a fantastic pregnancy remedy for leg pain. Lay back on your bed or couch with your legs propped up on a pillow. Gravity will help draw the blood back toward your heart if you lift your legs just 6–12 inches above your heart. This relieves swelling while giving your heart and veins a break. As you watch TV or unwind in bed, we advise placing pillows under your thighs, knees, and calves. Just 20 minutes in this position can help your sore legs feel better fast, so it’s a great excuse to start that new TV series you’ve been eyeing. It’s even great for relieving back pain during pregnancy. So lie back and let those legs relax. It takes a lot of work to grow a baby, so you deserve to relax for a while!

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3rd Trimester PREGNANCY Stretches | Relieve pregnancy leg and back pain