(860) 632-5499
Podiatrist - Cromwell
162 West St Ste K
Cromwell, CT 06416
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At Feet First Foot Care Specialists, we know slippery winter weather dramatically increases the number of ankle sprains we see in our Middlesex County patients. However, there are ways to decrease your risk of an ankle-twisting injury.
Do: keep your driveway, walkway, and the sidewalk around your house cleared of snow. Add salt or sand to prevent slips. One of the most common sites of accidents is at your own home.
Do: keep at least one hand free. Holding your briefcase in one hand, a last-minute Christmas gift, and takeout dinner in the other means you may not be able to see that icy patch in front of you. If you stumble, you won’t have a hand to grab something to steady or balance yourself. Always make sure you can see where you are going.
Don’t: talk and walk—on the cell phone, that is. Many people have missed a curb partially covered in snow or slush because they spoke on the phone and ignored the path before them or the conditions.
Do: wear weather-appropriate boots. Generally, work and party shoes will not keep you safe on slippery sidewalks, driveways, and stairs. Pack shoes you wish to wear at your destination and change into those after you arrive.
Do: carry a little kitty litter. Keep a small amount in a sealed plastic bag in your pocket. If you come upon an icy or slick stretch, sprinkle some in front of you for added traction as you carefully walk.
If you happen to suffer an ankle injury or fall despite all your efforts to stay upright, don’t delay in contacting our Cromwell office by calling 860-632-5499 for an appointment. Our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, will examine your ankle to determine the severity of the injury.
Before your visit with us, use the R-I-C-E regimen to treat your ankle: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.
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.
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.
At Feet First Foot Care Specialists, our Middlesex County patients sometimes come to us because of ongoing stiffness and pain in an ankle. It may also include swelling and even difficulty bearing weight on the affected foot. The first thing our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, will likely want to know is if you recently twisted your ankle or suffered another type of ankle injury. If the answer is “no,” he will examine your ankle and conduct any necessary tests to find the source of your discomfort.
If you have persistent ankle pain or other symptoms, contact our Cromwell office call 860-632-5499 for an appointment today.
The winter storm season has officially begun in Middlesex County. At Feet First Foot Care Specialists we know that means our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, will be seeing more patients at our Cromwell office (860-632-5499) with ankle sprains. Slippery conditions are one factor that increases the risk of an ankle-twisting sprain and other injuries.
Choose safe shoes. It sounds rather obvious, but high heels and ice are an invitation for slips and falls. But, when you’re running late on holiday errands and need to make quick visits, people tend to forget the icy conditions on the ground! Always wear (or keep in your car) a pair of boots or sturdy shoes that have a good gripping tread on the bottom for when the weather turns bad.
Carry less. At this time of year, with all the shopping going on, it’s typical to have an armload of packages that can impede your view of what’s in front of you, making it easy to miss a curb or trip over an object in your path. Not having your hands free also decreases your ability to balance and break your fall if you do stumble.
Allow extra time. Like our suggestion to choose proper footwear, rushing causes you to overlook potential hazards, moving too quickly can lead to an injury. Give yourself extra time to get ready, and to get where you're going whether by foot, car, or other modes of transportation.
Don’t ignore foot pain. During this busy season, many patients put off getting a foot or ankle pain evaluated. Being in pain can change how you walk because you try to maneuver in a way that avoids the discomfort. This throws you off balance and increases fall risk. Contact us to get foot pain checked out promptly.
Imagine you’re walking down the street when, all of a sudden, you see a cute rabbit bolt out of a bush and across the street! It’s so cute as it hops along the pavement and you lose your footing! You’ve just fallen off the sidewalk and rolled your ankle. Will you be able to tell if it’s sprained or if it’s fractured?
Don’t worry, most people aren’t able to tell off the bat. Here are some tips and tricks for you to keep in mind when it comes to knowing just how urgent your injury might be when you accidentally fall and hurt yourself:
When it comes down to it, the first few hours after your injury can tell you a lot. Of course, it will be painful, but the rate at which that pain, bruising, or swelling increases can give you tips on whether it’s a fracture or a sprain. Either way, don’t hesitate to seek medical attention as soon as it happens! For long term care with Dr. Adam Mucinskas at Feet First Foot Care Specialists after experiencing a sprain or fracture, call us today at (860) 632-5499 to schedule an appointment with us in Cromwell, CT.
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162 West St Ste K
Cromwell, CT 06416