What causes calf pain in pregnant women?

Women have to endure all kinds of physical discomfort after becoming pregnant, so it is said that mothers are strong. Pregnant women are prone to calf pain. During pregnancy, they should always pay attention to calcium supplementation, prevent excessive calcium loss, and avoid excessive exercise. When calf pain occurs, you can gently massage your legs or soak your feet every day, but the time should not be too long. Pregnant women who have the conditions can practice yoga or gymnastics, which can play a preventive role.

What causes calf pain in pregnant women?

First: When a woman becomes pregnant, her body is always preparing for childbirth. Our pelvis is not a complete bone, but is made up of ligaments connecting the sacrum, coccyx and left and right hip bones. Normally, these ligaments are relatively strong in order to maintain the stability of the pelvis. However, when a woman becomes pregnant and the full-term baby is delivered vaginally, because the fetal head is relatively large, in order to ensure a smooth delivery, our body will loosen these ligaments and make the pelvis elastic, which is more conducive to the delivery of the fetus.

Second: The reason these ligaments become loose is the result of the combined effects of multiple hormonal changes after pregnancy. However, these hormones do not only target the ligaments of the pelvis, but also cause other ligaments in the body to become loose. This is also the main reason why some women experience back and leg pain, and even finger and wrist pain after pregnancy.

Third: There are also a small number of pregnant women who, due to severe ligament relaxation, may even experience pubic symphysis separation, which causes severe pain and even affects their walking. However, most simple ligament relaxation during pregnancy will improve on its own after delivery.

What to do if you have calf pain during pregnancy?

1. Use hot water bottle on legs and feet

If the discomfort in your calf is obvious, you can use a hot water bottle to apply heat to help relieve the calf pain.

2. Massage

Use massage to relax your calf muscles. Grab the muscles with one hand and use five fingers to gently massage the muscles in the palm of your hand; grab the calf muscles with both hands with your thumbs facing each other, and massage them from top to bottom with both hands at the same time; bend your knees, make fists behind your knees with the backs of your hands facing up, and use the sides of your little fingers to tap the calves alternately.

3. Get enough rest

When resting, raise your legs and put a pillow under your legs. You can put pillows, cushions or other soft things under your knees. At night, it is best to sleep on a flat and slightly firm bed with your legs bent.

4. Calcium supplement

Go to the hospital to check whether you are calcium deficient. If you are calcium deficient, it is recommended to supplement it in time. It is recommended to start calcium supplementation from the 5th month of pregnancy. You should buy calcium tablets because they are high in calcium.