9 Criteria for Shoes that are Suitable for Pregnant Women

According to a survey in the UK, 7 out of 10 pregnant women claimed to have foot problems, such as swollen ankles (37%), swollen legs other than wrists (45%), and pain in the shin and heels due to wearing flat shoes, flip flops, shoes high heels, and narrow calf boot (16%).

Well, here are tips on choosing the right shoes during pregnancy so that pregnant women remain comfortable undergoing activities, including:

1. Flat or low-heeled shoes or a maximum height of 2 cm.

2. The soles are wide and smoothly serrated to avoid slipping. It is good to choose a rubber sole, because it is not slippery when walking.

3. The size is right, not too loose or narrow. Even better if there is room for your toes to move freely.

4. Feels soft and supple in the legs, so pregnant women can walk comfortably.

5. Made from porous natural materials, such as canvas, soft suede or skin so that no sweat builds up which results in bacteria and foot odor.

6. Buy footwear during the day or late at night, because after a day of activities, feet tend to be tired and enlarged to the largest size.

7. The shape follows the physiological soles of the feet, which have a medial arc support arch (protrusion on the inside of the footwear which is useful for refuting the arc). Every human foot, except for the flat foot aka flat feet, has an arch called the arcus as a counterweight while reducing the work of the leg muscles when walking.

8. Has a bulge on footwear for comfort and helps maintain balance, because this bulge is able to evenly share the burden on the body of the pregnant woman

9. The inside of the back is slightly higher than the front, so that the calf muscles work lighter.