If both of your feet are swollen, it’s likely a result of having too much fluid in your system, which collects at the lowest part of the body due to gravity and makes your feet and ankles swell.
People with high blood pressure frequently have this kind of swelling, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA). If your heart is too weak to pump blood around the body, the liquid parts of the blood tend to leak out of the blood vessels and collect in the lowest parts of the body. This condition may also affect people with kidney problems, as a loss of protein in the urine can cause feet to swell.
Another cause of foot swelling is inactivity. When you're normally active during the day, the muscles in your legs help move blood and fluids back to the heart so they can re-circulate. If you’re sitting in a car or riding on an airplane all day, your leg muscles aren’t working as much, and fluid will pool in your feet and legs. That’s why it’s a good idea to get up and walk around every 1-2 hours on an airplane or stop and walk around at a rest stop when you’re in a car for long periods.
So what else can you do for swollen feet?
Stay active. Blood and fluids will return to the heart and stop pooling in your feet and legs.
If being active is not currently possible (at work, for instance), elevate your feet and legs. Any elevation is better than letting your feet hang down, says the ADA.
In some cases, your health care provider may recommend diuretics, or “water pills.” Most people take them first thing in the morning, since they cause numerous trips to the restroom and may end up interrupting sleep.
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