(860) 632-5499

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

We have moved!

Stop by and see our new office!

My Blog

Archive:

Tags

My Blog

Posts for category: Pediatric Foot Care

April 19, 2022

For most children, Spring means an increase in outdoor activities. At Feet First Foot Care, we want to remind our Middlesex County patients that increased participation in outdoor activities can also increase the risk of foot and ankle injuries. Many athletes (even young) sometimes are told to “play through the pain.” Overuse injuries are a major risk factor for young children whose bones are still growing.

Tips To Prevent Common Sports Injuries

  1. Get the appropriate safety gear – helmets, goggles, boots, and any other needed equipment are essential to keeping a child’s body protected and avoiding injuries during sports.
  2. Try to have your child be engaged in physical activities throughout the winter season – It’s important to gradually increase their fitness level as the sports season approaches and encourage your child to become more active.
  3. Keep kids hydrated – drinking plenty of water before and after sports prevents cramping and other issues. Plus, it’s an opportunity for your child to rest.
  4. The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons states that rubber cleats are not necessary for children under 10 – alternatively children can use an all-purpose sports shoe.
  5. Pediatric heel pain is quite different from adult heel pain – it does not get better with walking around.

Foot and Ankle Injuries in Young Athletes

It is difficult for children to articulate when they are in pain, so it is important to always keep an eye on growing feet. Generally, injuries seen in younger athletes fall into three categories: injuries related to growth, overuse injuries, or acute presentations. Overuse injuries include Stress Fractures and Achilles Tendonitis.

  • 10% of all injuries in the ER are ankle sprains
  • 83% of ankle injuries are diagnosed as ligament sprains with incomplete tears
  • 90% of ankle sprains are due to poor playing field conditions (mainly because all fields are not created equal)

Don’t Ignore Your Child’s Foot Pain

Accidents do happen! Parents and coaches should be alert to a child limping on and off the field. Parents can watch for symptoms of common sports injuries, such as pain in daily activities, swelling, or bruising. If your child hurts their foot or ankle, schedule an appointment with our board-certified podiatrist Dr. Adam Mucinskas, so he can provide the best course of treatment. Call our Cromwell, CT office at (860) 632-5499 or visit our website for more information. 

0 Comment(s) Permalink
March 15, 2022

At Feet First Foot Care, we want to encourage all of our Middlesex County patients to be informed about foot health when it comes to their children. As the weather gets warmer, kids may be enrolling in spring sports or spending more time outside. The signs and symptoms of foot problems can be subtle. Children, especially young children, are not always able to articulate discomfort. Foot pain that your child may be experiencing should be evaluated as soon as possible by a certified podiatrist.

Common Signs A Child Is in Pain

  • Your child cannot keep up with their peers
  • Children voluntarily withdraw from activities they usually enjoy
  • They do not want to show you their feet
  • The child complains of pain

Signs Your Child May Have a Foot Problem

  • Pain, swelling, and redness that does not subside
  • Development of thick calluses in one area of the foot
  • Problems with the way your child walks
  • Shins that appear to turn inward
  • Ankles that appear weak or easily give out

Foot Problems Commonly Experienced by Children

Most children with flat feet have no symptoms. However, if children lag in sports or backyard play, it may be because their feet or legs are tired. Fatigue is common when children have flat feet. Some children may complain of pain or cramping in their feet, legs, or knees. You should have a professional evaluate any pain that a child may be feeling as soon as possible.

  • Calcaneal Apophysitis (Sever's Disease)

When there is repetitive stress on the growth plate, painful inflammation can develop. This disease typically affects children between ages eight and fourteen because the heel bone has not fully developed until at least age fourteen.

When children have these symptoms, parents may think they are experiencing temporary "growing pains" without realizing it could be a foot-related problem. You should have a child with any of these signs or symptoms examined promptly. Call our Cromwell, Connecticut office at (860)-632-5499 to schedule an appointment with our trusted podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, for proper diagnosis and treatment.

0 Comment(s) Permalink
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.

0 Comment(s) Permalink
By Feet First Foot Care Specialists
September 09, 2020

‘Quarantine 15’ is a real thing, and it is impacting children as well as adults. At Feet First Foot Care Specialists, we want to recognize National Childhood Obesity Month and offer our Middlesex County families some tools to fight this dangerous weight gain trend.

Be Mindful—sitting on the couch with a bag of chips while your child watches their favorite television show is a classic non-mindful approach to eating. Eating while doing something else leads to consuming way more than a single serving. Be aware of when your child is eating and why. Help them avoid boredom eating. If you know they’ve had an appropriate amount of food and snacks for the day, redirect them to a more active pursuit like playing outside or taking a bike ride.

Pay Attention to Portions—know what your child’s daily calorie intake should be (if you’re unsure, check with the pediatrician). Help children use visual cues like the size of their fist, for example, to determine appropriate portion sizes. Check packages to find out what constitutes a serving and then take out that amount to eat and put the rest away.

Build a Better Plate—many children and parents are unaware of what a healthy dinner plate should look like. Start by filling half the plate with vegetables or salad. Then fill one remaining quarter with lean protein and the other with carbohydrates.

Encourage Physical Activity Daily—children should get at least one hour of exercise daily. It can take the form of a sport, an activity like hiking or rollerblading, or free play in the yard. Asking your child to help with more strenuous chores like raking leaves or turning over a garden is another way to burn more calories.

Children who are overweight are more likely to experience foot pain and problems. If your child is complaining of any podiatric discomfort, make an appointment at our Cromwell office by calling: (860) 632-5499. Our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, will examine your child’s feet and ask questions about his or her lifestyle and habits. The foot doctor will diagnose the source of your child’s pain and suggest ways to improve podiatric and overall health.

0 Comment(s) Permalink
By Feet First Foot Care Specialists, LLC
February 24, 2020

At Feet First Foot Care Specialists, we want our Middlesex county parents to know how to spot foot problems in their children and encourage them to seek treatment promptly. Sometimes children’s foot problems are not so easy to detect. Children, especially younger ones, are not always good at articulating foot pain or discomfort.

Parents may need to employ their sleuthing skills and take note of changes in behavior such as

  • Lagging behind playmates.

  • Expressing reluctance to participate in the physical activities they have previously enjoyed.

  • Vague complaints like “my legs are tired.”

These may all be signs that your child is experiencing foot or ankle pain.

Below are three disorders that occur more frequently in children how to identify them:

  1. Athlete’s Foot—if you see your child frequently scratching their feet, examine the skin on the soles of their feet and between their toes. Dry, red, flaky skin may be a sign of athlete’s foot. If the infection is more advanced, you may also see blisters or oozing. To help prevent your child from contracting athlete’s foot (as well as other fungal infections), be sure that their feet are bathed daily and encourage them not to exchanges shoes or socks with their playmates. Make sure they wear flip-flops or shower shoes at public pools and restrooms.

  2. Structural Abnormalities—it’s important that as your child’s foot grows and develops no abnormal gait or structural issues. Flat feet and in- or out-toeing are common and need to be diagnosed and corrected at their earliest stages to ensure healthy foot development. Depending on the severity of the abnormality, our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, may recommend exercises, a custom orthotic, or night splints/braces to correct the problem.

  3. Sever’s Disease—although your child’s foot bone structure is well-formed by the age of 7 or 8, the growth plate at the back of the heel will not finish fully developing until somewhere around the age of 15. At the back of the heel, there is a vulnerable area where new bone is forming that can become inflamed due to repetitive action from sports and result in severe heel pain. Never tell your child to “play through the pain,” and be sure they have breaks throughout the year between sports seasons.

If you suspect something is not right with your child’s feet, contact our Cromwell office for an appointment today by calling: (860) 632-5499.

0 Comment(s) Permalink


Contact Us

 








 

 

Questions or Comments?
We encourage you to contact us whenever you have an interest or concern about our services.

Call Today (860) 632-5499

162 West St Ste K
Cromwell, CT 06416