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Podiatrist - Cromwell
162 West St Ste K
Cromwell, CT 06416

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By Feet First Foot Care Specialists
November 24, 2020
Category: Foot Care

At Feet First Foot Care Specialists, we know that our Middlesex County patients will be focusing on gratitude this week during the Thanksgiving holiday. Although our holiday gatherings may be a little less traditional this year, one thing that remains the same, the season is an opportunity to express gratitude for our many blessings—one of which is your feet!

Your feet are pretty incredible. They contain 52 bones—nearly a quarter of all the bones in your body, 66 joints, 214 ligaments, and 38 muscles. It’s because of your feet that you can stand, walk, run, dance, bend over and reach high. Most of us, however, tend to take our feet for granted until they have a problem. Please take a moment during this time to consider one of these suggestions for showing your gratitude for all they do.

Buy New Shoes

Some studies estimate that up to 90% of people wear shoes that are the wrong size for their feet. Get your feet professionally measured. Your foot can get larger as you age. It’s also not unusual to find that one of your feet is larger than the other. Always buy shoes that are comfortable for the larger foot. Look for good-quality shoes made of soft, flexible material. Be sure they have adequate arch support, a cushioned insole, and a non-slip tread. Your shoes are one of the primary factors in determining the health of your feet.

Commit to a Foot Care Regimen

Being proactive in the care of your feet doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. Merely washing your feet every day (and drying completely), applying foot powder if you tend to sweat excessively, and moisturizing at night before bed is an excellent basic routine. Healthy lifestyle choices like maintaining an appropriate weight and exercising will also improve the health of your feet.

Get a Podiatric Checkup

There are several benefits to getting a checkup for your feet. Our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, can diagnose and treat all chronic pain or foot discomfort you are experiencing and offer tips on preventing many common foot problems. He’ll also get your medical history, which can help analyze your risk for foot disorders that can be hereditary. Contact our Cromwell office today for an appointment by calling: (860) 632-5499.

Happy Thanksgiving and Holiday Season to all our patients!

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By Feet First Foot Care Specialists, LLC
November 16, 2020
Category: Diabetic Foot Care

For our Middlesex County patients with diabetes, we at Feet First Foot Care Specialists know that even minor cuts or common conditions like athlete’s foot can prove dangerous. Diabetes limits blood flow to the legs and feet, making it harder for wounds and infections to heal. Nerve damage (or neuropathy), often associated with diabetes as well, can reduce feeling in your feet and increase the likelihood of an injury or infection going unnoticed. With proper care, however, you can greatly reduce the risk of harmful foot problems from diabetes.

Follow the do’s and don’ts below to keep diabetic feet healthy:

Do: remember, your podiatrist is your partner in diabetic foot care. Talk to our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, about the best ways to be proactive about your foot health. Schedule regular podiatric checkups and report anything unusual—skin rashes, bumps, bruises, cuts that seem slow to heal, etc.—as soon as you notice them.

Don’t: Expose your feet to open flames or space heaters. Avoid electric blankets and check the temperature of bathwater with your hand or arm before stepping in. Neuropathy may impede your ability to perceive heat accurately.

Don’t: wear shoes that are too tight in the toe box or rub at the heel. It’s also best not to wear footwear made of rigid, stiff material. All of these can cause blisters to form or exacerbate toe deformities like bunions and hammertoes.

Do: keep toenails trimmed appropriately. Cut straight across, not too short, and with no rounded edges. This will help prevent ingrown toenails from developing.

Do: make healthy lifestyle choices that will enable you to control your diabetes better. These may include a regular exercise routine, a healthy meal plan, and managing other health conditions that may be related to diabetes, such as hypertension.

Don’t: smoke. It impedes circulation.

Do: keep feet dry. Change socks at the first sign they feel damp. Sitting in moist socks can lead to blisters and fungal infections.

Don’t: attempt any “self-doctoring.” Do not try to file down or remove corns or calluses on your own. Do not use medicated pads or other products designed to eliminate warts. These can cause injury or harm to your feet, which is particularly dangerous if you have diabetes. Instead, contact our Cromwell office by calling: (860) 632-5499 and let the podiatrist handle.

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By Feet First Foot Care Specialists
November 10, 2020
Category: heel pain

Have you noticed pain in your heels that has been getting progressively worse over the last few months? Do you experience severe or stabbing pain when you first get out of bed? Do you see any swelling on the bottom of your heel? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might be suffering from a complaint many Middlesex County patients bring to us at Feet First Foot Care Specialists: plantar fasciitis.

Why the Pain?

The plantar fascia is a band of tissue that stretches along the bottom of your foot from your heel to your toes. Initially, it may become irritated and then inflamed, causing both heel and arch pain. Most frequently, this condition’s cause is a defect in the structure of the foot, such as overly high arches or flat feet. But other factors can increase your risk for plantar fasciitis:

  • A job that requires standing for long hours
  • Wearing shoes with inadequate arch support
  • Working on hard, flat surfaces
  • Being overweight

What Can be Done?

If you are suffering from heel pain, don’t delay. Make an appointment at our Cromwell office by calling: (860) 632-5499. If our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, diagnoses plantar fasciitis, several treatment options are available to help relieve pain and correct the problem. These include:

  • Icing—this can help relieve pain and inflammation. Use an ice pack for up to 20 minutes at a time. Wrap in a thin towel; do not apply ice directly to your skin.
  • Medications—nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen.
  • Avoiding going barefoot—this puts a strain on the plantar fascia.
  • Footwear modifications—choosing styles that have good arch support and a slightly raised heel.
  • Custom orthotics
  • Stretching exercises—calf muscle stretches can help ease pain in some cases.
  • Night splint—keeps the plantar fascia stretched while you sleep, decreasing morning pain.
  • Removable walking cast
  • Physical therapy

If conservative measures are not successful, the foot doctor may recommend surgery. Non-invasive measures are always the first line of treatment, however. If you believe you may have plantar fasciitis, contact us at your earliest convenience for an evaluation.

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By Feet First Foot Care Specialists
November 02, 2020
Category: skin conditions
Tags: foot health   foot skin care  

November is National Healthy Skin Month, and at Feet First Foot Care Specialists, we know the skin on your feet has some special needs, and taking good care of it is very important. Skin disorders on your feet can make it challenging to get around. They can also signal trouble in other parts of your body. But often people don’t think to look at their feet! So, the first tip is to get in the habit of inspecting your feet regularly, and if you notice anything abnormal or concerning about the skin on your feet, contact our Cromwell office by calling: (860) 632-5499 promptly. That way, our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, can take a look and determine if a skin issue is developing that needs treatment.

Here are six other ways to take good care of the skin on your feet:

  1. Wear shoes that fit correctly. If your shoes are too small or stretched and worn out, you have an increased chance of irritating your skin and causing blisters to form.

  2. Wash your feet every day. It will go a long way toward lowering your risk of infections.

  3. Keep skin dry. Feet stuck in wet socks and shoes are the perfect breeding ground for fungal infections like athlete’s foot. Consider using a foot powder or antiperspirant on the soles of your feet if you tend to sweat profusely. Keep an extra pair of socks with you and change whenever you notice your feet feel damp.

  4. Don’t ignore toe defects. Patients with bunions, hammertoes, and other abnormal toe structures are more likely to develop corns and calluses on the skin of their feet. These are progressive conditions. Get them treated in their earliest stages to prevent skin and other foot problems.

  5. Keep feet covered. It is particularly important in public places with lots of foot traffic like community pools, gyms, and nail salons. Don’t share items that touch another person’s feet. It will significantly lessen your chances of getting warts and other foot infections.

  6. Moisturize your skin after you shower. It will help lock moisture into the skin on your feet and prevent peeling and skin cracks.

For more information on foot skin conditions and how to prevent them, contact us, Feet First Foot Care Specialists (860) 632-5499.

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By Feet First Foot Care Specialists
October 26, 2020
Category: foot health

At Feet First Foot Care Specialists one of the conditions we see frequently in our Middlesex County patients is the ingrown toenail. Many people mistakenly ignore the first signs of pain associated with a nail that starts to grow down and back into the skin surrounding the nail. However, it quickly progresses to a condition that is incredibly painful. The toe becomes red, swollen, and very tender to the touch and makes wearing shoes and walking extremely difficult. Left untreated, an infection can also set in.

Common Causes of Ingrown Toenails

The most frequent reason ingrown toenails develop is improper nail care. Nails that are cut too short are more likely to grow into the skin. Rounding the edges with a nail file can also encourage ingrown nails.

Other risk factors include:

  • Wearing shoes and socks that are too tight
  • Heredity
  • Fungal infection
  • Faulty foot structure

Getting Relief from Ingrown Toenail Problems

At the first sign of a nail becoming ingrown, soak your foot in warm, soapy water several times a day. This will soften the skin and enable you to massage the skin and hopefully work the nail out. Usually, our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas sees ingrown toenails when they have reached the excruciating stage and patients can’t stand it any longer. The foot doctor will gently numb the affected nail and remove the corner of the nail that is ingrown. For some patients, ingrown toenails are a recurring problem. In severe cases, the podiatrist may need to perform a procedure to prevent the nail from becoming ingrown.

It’s important not to attempt any “bathroom surgeries” on your own and try to cut out an ingrown toenail. This will often lead to an injury or infection. Beware that folk remedies such as sticking a piece of cotton between the nail and the toe or cutting a notch out of the toenail are also ineffective and harmful.

If you have an ingrown toenail that needs treatment, contact our Cromwell office by calling: (860) 632-5499 for an appointment today.

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162 West St Ste K
Cromwell, CT 06416