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Podiatrist - Cromwell
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Cromwell, CT 06416

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By Feet First Foot Care Specialists
July 27, 2021
Category: arthritis

July is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month. At Feet First Foot Care Specialists, we want to inform our Middlesex County families about this condition, manifesting in the joints of the feet and other parts of the body in young patients. Below are some facts about Juvenile Arthritis.

FACT: Juvenile Arthritis (JA) affects nearly 300,000 children in the U.S. under the age of 16.

FACT: Arthritis—for both children and adults—is not just one disease. It is an umbrella term that covers over a hundred conditions that affect the joints.

FACT: In children, most kinds of JA are autoinflammatory or autoimmune diseases. It means the immune system gets mixed up and releases inflammatory chemicals that attack healthy cells and tissue rather than foreign elements like germs and viruses in the body.

FACT: While most types of JA do cause joint inflammation, some varieties do not show signs of pain or swelling in the joints but rather exhibit symptoms in the skin or internal organs.

FACT: Common symptoms of JA accompanying joint pain, stiffness, and discomfort, may include chronic eye inflammation; skin rashes; lung, heart, or digestive disorders; fatigue; loss of appetite; high, spiking fever.

FACT: The causes of JA are not precisely known. Researchers have found that genes may be a factor or it’s possible that the disease develops as the body’s response to a bacteria, virus, or other external factors. Exactly why it occurs is not known.

FACT: JA is a chronic condition. It can last for a few months, years, or an entire lifetime.

FACT: Treatment for JA has multiple goals: relieving pain and other symptoms, slowing or stopping the progression of the disease, preventing joint and organ damage, preserving mobility through adulthood.

FACT: There are many treatment options including medication, massage, mind-body therapies, and acupuncture. Healthy lifestyle choices such as regular exercise and nutritious eating habits can also aid in the management of JA.

FACT: If your child exhibits any signs of joint pain in their feet or ankles, you should make an appointment at our Cromwell office by calling 860-632-5499 to get their symptoms evaluated promptly by our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas. The foot doctor will determine if your child’s discomfort is due to a podiatric problem or potentially arthritic.

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By Feet First Foot Care Specialists
July 19, 2021
Category: orthotics

Orthotics refer to any device inserted into a shoe. At Feet First Foot Care Specialists, we know that our Middlesex County patients may have questions about this type of treatment option. Orthotics come in many shapes and sizes, made from a wide range of materials. Over-the-counter shoe inserts may be able to help relieve minor symptoms. Still, a custom orthotic prescribed by our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, will be created from a mold of your foot to custom fit your unique biomechanical structure and address the specific issues you have. Below are the basics about the three different types of orthotics and what foot problems they can help correct.

Rigid Orthotics

This type of orthotic is designed to control the function and abnormal motion of your feet. As their name implies, they are composed of a firm material such as carbon fiber or plastic. Rigid orthotics help eliminate or decrease pain and strain in the legs, thighs, and lower back.

Soft Orthotics

This kind of insert aims to take pressure off a sore spot, absorb shock, and/or improve balance. Made of soft, cushiony materials, soft orthotics are effective for diabetes, arthritis, and deformities such as bunions and hammertoes. They will also help give relief from secondary conditions such as corns and calluses.

Semi-Rigid Orthotics

Semi-rigid orthotics are prescribed to treat flat feet or to help children overcome in-toeing or out-toeing disorders. These orthotics can be used both for correcting foot problems and protecting vulnerable areas. They are typically constructed of layers of soft material and reinforced with more rigid materials. Athletes may also find this style helpful at reducing discomfort during intense training and competition.

To find out if a custom orthotic device may help relieve your foot pain and improve comfort when walking or running, contact our Cromwell office by calling 860-632-5499 to arrange a consultation.

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July 12, 2021
Category: Foot Care

At Feet First Foot Care Specialists, now that summer is in full swing, we know many of our Middlesex County patients will be planning trips to some of Connecticut and Rhode Island’s beautiful beaches. A day of fun in the sun and surf is a great way to cool off on a hot day, but it also presents some unique challenges to your feet and ankles.

Here are some do’s and don’ts to ensure your beach day isn’t a bust for your feet:

Do: remember to apply sunscreen to the tops and bottoms of your and your children’s feet. The sand reflects the sun’s rays and so time spent lounging on a beach blanket can result in severe sunburn to the soles of the feet that will make it difficult to walk for several days. Use a sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30 that’s water-resistant and protects against UVA and UVB rays. Reapply often!

Don’t: play games with potential sports injuries. If you enjoy a good game of beach volleyball or a little extreme frisbee in the sand, remember to pack a pair of athletic shoes. It’s hard to gain traction and maintain balance in the shifting sand, and ankle sprains and other injuries can occur without supportive footwear.

Do: bring some vinegar or baking soda to the beach. While this may seem like a strange addition to your beach bag, it will reduce the pain and swelling if you get a jellyfish sting. Remember that even dead jellyfish washed up on the sand can still sting.

Do: slip on your shoes or flip-flops before taking a walk on the beach. Hot sand can quickly cause burns on the soles of your feet. In addition, keeping your feet covered will protect them from puncture wounds and cuts caused by objects hidden in the sand.

Don’t: bring home an unwanted souvenir of athlete’s foot or toenail fungus. Fungi and bacteria thrive in warm, moist places such as beach restrooms and changing areas. Always wear your flip-flops or water shoes when walking in these and other public places that see lots of barefoot traffic to avoid coming in contact with a foot infection.

We hope our patients enjoy many beach days this summer! If you do sustain an injury or have another foot problem you’re concerned about, be sure to contact our Cromwell office by calling 860-632-5499. Our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, will examine your feet and determine the correct treatment for your foot pain.

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By Feet First Foot Care Specialists
July 06, 2021

School’s out, and children have more free time on their hands—what will they do with it? At Feet First Foot Care Specialists, we want to urge all our Middlesex County parents to promote a physically active summer for their children. The pandemic shutdowns have made the alarming problem of childhood obesity worse. A recent study of about 300,000 children showed an increase in the prevalence of obesity by nearly 2% between January 2019 and December 2020. It is an uptick in an already alarming trend: in 2018, the CDC reported that 19% of children 2-19 were obese—up from only 5% in 1980. So, the message is: get moving!

What Children Need:

The CDC guidelines for school-age children ages 6-17 recommend 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily. Activity should offer opportunities for the following types of exercise:

  • Aerobic

  • Muscle-strengthening

  • Bone-strengthening

How to Get It:

There are lots of ways to ensure that your children get the physical activity they need:

  • Enroll them in a summer sports program.

  • Build physical activity into your day: a bike ride around the neighborhood after dinner, a walk first thing after breakfast.

  • Choose more active family recreation options. Instead of a trip to the movie theater, consider the bowling alley or a hike at a nearby state park. Connecticut once again offers its “The Sky’s the Limit Hiking Challenge,” which encourages participants to hike 20 parks within the state.

  • Limit screen time. Give your child an incentive for finding more physical activities.

  • Create a family step challenge. Using basic pedometers or sports watches, host a friendly competition to see who gets the most steps in every day.

  • Lead by example. Let your children see that being physically active is a priority for them.

Play it Safe

Foot pain can impede a person’s ability to be active. If you or your children experience any excessive soreness, pain, or discomfort in the feet or ankles after stepping up your activity level, get it checked out promptly by making an appointment at our Cromwell office by calling 860-632-5499. Our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, will examine your feet to get to the source of your podiatric discomfort and determine what treatment is necessary to fix it.

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By Feet First Foot Care Specialists
June 28, 2021

Canadian Olympic shot-put contender Brittany Crew is sitting out the Olympic Track and Field Trials in Montreal this week to give a badly sprained ankle some additional recovery time. While you’re probably not an Olympic athlete, at Feet First Foot Care Specialists, we think there is something that our Middlesex County patients can learn from Crew’s wise move: rehabilitating ankle injuries can’t be rushed.

Back in May, Crew was competing in the Tucson Elite Classic in Arizona. On her first throw, her left foot hit the toe board and slid, shifting Crew’s weight, and putting full force on her right ankle. She heard a pop and then felt numb. Ankle sprains are rated by grades to express the severity of the injury. In Crew’s case, she sustained a Grade 2 sprain, a serious overstretching of the ankle ligaments where the joint remains stable and not displaced. By allowing her ankle, extra rest along with proper physical therapy and training, Crew hopes to be refreshed and at her peak in time for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo later in July.

How to Handle an Ankle Sprain

The takeaway from Crew’s story applies to all our patients. If you sustain an ankle-twisting injury here’s what you should know:

  • Ankle injuries can be tricky to self-assess. You may feel extreme pain, or, like Crew, the ankle may feel numb. Some patients make the mistake of thinking the sprain is “not too bad” because it isn’t very painful, and they can walk on it.

  • Seek medical care promptly. Your best course of action is to contact our Cromwell office by calling 860-632-5499 and letting our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas examine your injured ankle to evaluate the severity of the injury.

  • R-I-C-E in the meantime. Until the podiatrist can see you, follow the regimen: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation of the injured area.

  • Don’t Rush It. Your ankle may feel better before it’s fully healed. In addition to the ligaments getting back to normal, it’s essential to build up the surrounding muscles to support the ankle ligaments.

  • Finally, always complete the full course of therapy prescribed by the foot doctor to ensure a complete recovery and reduce your risk of future sprains.

 

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162 West St Ste K
Cromwell, CT 06416