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

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Posts for: September, 2019

By Feet First Foot Care Specialists, LLC
September 25, 2019
Category: foot safety

At Feet First Foot Care Specialists, we know many of our young patients are enjoying fall sports. There are many benefits to sports including learning how to be part of a team and getting regular physical activity. It can also be a cause of several foot and ankle problems, however. Below are six tips for ensuring that your child enjoys a safe sports season.

  1. Start the season with new shoes. Each sport requires specific movements of the feet. Today’s shoes are designed to protect feet and maximize performance. Get sports shoes that are made for the sport your child is doing and get them professionally fitted.
  2. Sock choice matters. Choose socks that provide some degree of cushioning and that also wick moisture away from the skin. Sweaty, damp feet are more likely to develop fungal infections. Be sure to bring the socks you plan to use to the shoe store and try on with the sports shoes you are buying.
  3. Insist on safe surfaces. Fields with divots and holes and tracks or courts with cracks in the asphalt are all risks to the health and safety of your child. If playing areas need attention, bring it up with the school or town to prevent ankle sprains and other injuries.
  4. Avoid athlete’s foot in the locker room. Make sure your child has a pair of flip flops or shower shoes to wear in the gym shower. Remind them not to share towels or soap either.
  5. Give it a rest. When children play a sport in every season and do not allow developing bones, muscles and ligaments a break, overuse injuries such as Sever’s disease are more likely to occur.
  6. Get pain checked out promptly. If your child sustains an injury on the field or complains of ongoing pain after practices, be sure to make an appointment at our Cromwell office. Our podiatrist Dr. Adam Mucinskas can examine your child’s feet and ankles and determine the best course of treatment.

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By Feet First Foot Care Specialists, LLC
September 18, 2019
Category: pregnancy

Although pregnancy is a happy time, at Feet First Foot Care Specialists we know that your feet may not be rejoicing! They will have to carry a lot more weight than normal as your pregnancy progresses and this can lead to foot and ankle problems you don’t normally experience. Fortunately, most foot discomfort can be avoided or at least significantly reduced by following some simple suggestions.

Checkup on Podiatric Conditions

Start by making an appointment at our Cromwell office so that our podiatrist Dr. Adam Mucinskas can examine your feet and ankles and check on any chronic podiatric issues you may have such as bunions, flat feet or plantar fasciitis—all of which can be exacerbated by pregnancy. The foot doctor will monitor your condition during pregnancy and can suggest helpful ways to relieve discomfort and prevent existing conditions from worsening.

Buy Some New Shoes

Your footwear choices during pregnancy may need to be adjusted. As your abdomen grows, your center of gravity will change. Low, wide heels will provide the best stability. Don’t go with flats, however, as the excess weight will also put pressure on the arches of your feet, requiring more support to avoid arch and heel pain. In the last trimester of your pregnancy you may begin to notice that your shoes feel tight. This can be the result of hormones which your body releases to relax ligaments in preparation for birth. These hormones can cause your feet to spread, necessitating bigger or wider shoes. For some women, an increase of about half a size in shoes may be permanent.

Put Your Feet Up

You may find especially in the later phases of your pregnancy that your feet hurt more. Elevating feet periodically throughout the day and at the end of the day can help them feel better. Putting your feet up can also help reduce swelling of the feet and ankles—another common symptom of pregnancy.

If you are experiencing discomfort or unusual foot or ankle problems while pregnant, don’t hesitate to contact us by calling: (860) 632-5499.


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By Feet First Foot Care Specialists, LLC
September 11, 2019
Category: foot deformities
Tags: corns   calluses   arthritis   Hammertoe   orthotic device  

Do you notice that your second, third or fourth toe appears to be bending at the middle joint? This can be an early sign of a deformity known as hammertoe. At Feet First Foot Care Specialists, we want patients to better understand this condition and the importance of seeking treatment early.

What Causes Hammertoes?

Hammertoes are the result of an abnormality in the balance of the muscles in the toes. Factors that can increase the risk of a hammertoe developing include:

  • Improperly fitting footwear—particularly shoes that are too tight in the toe box
  • Heredity
  • Trauma
  • Arthritis

Treatment Options

As the toe becomes more bent, the pain from walking and pressure from shoes increase. Secondary problems like corns and calluses may also develop on the affected toe. In addition to pain and discomfort, however, an even greater reason to seek treatment is to prevent the toe from becoming permanently rigid in that position. Our podiatrist Dr. Adam Mucinskas will prescribe the treatment that is best for you. Some possibilities for relief include:

  1. Change your shoes—choose footwear made of soft material with roomy toe boxes.
  2. Stretch it out—exercises can be done to stretch the toe and strengthen surrounding muscles.
  3. Add some padding—nonmedicated gel cushions and pads can be applied to ease pain and provide a barrier between your foot and your shoe.
  4. Put it on ice—applying an ice pack to the hammertoe several times a day can reduce inflammation, swelling and pain.
  5. Ditch high heels—get rid of anything over 2-inches high, because they put too much pressure on your toes. Discard styles with narrow, pointy fronts as well.
  6. Tape it up—the foot doctor may use taping to correct the imbalance of the muscles in the toe.
  7. Go custom—an orthotic device prescribed by the podiatrist is made according to a model of your unique foot. The orthotic can help with the muscle imbalance and redistribute weight to relieve pain and inflammation.

A last resort, if conservative measures don’t bring relief, is a surgical procedure to correct the hammertoe.

If you believe you have a hammertoe forming, contact our Cromwell office for an appointment by calling: (860) 632-5499.


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By Feet First Foot Care Specialists, LLC
September 05, 2019
Category: fall prevention
Tags: shoes   senior   fall   vision  

At Feet First Foot Care Specialists, we serve patients of all ages. For our senior patients, falls are a big concern. In fact, studies show that falls are the number one cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries in older Americans. The good news is that there is much that can be done to reduce fall risk.

Pain-Free Feet Reduce Risk

If you or an older person you love is suffering from foot or ankle pain, fall risk is increased. It’s natural to walk in a way that is least painful but that can change your center of gravity and create an awkward gait that can lead to trips and falls. Don’t delay in getting podiatric pain evaluated. Contact our Cromwell office for an appointment and let our podiatrist Dr. Adam Mucinskas examine your feet and find the cause and treatment for your foot discomfort.

Home Safety Makeovers

An honest inspection of your home can reveal areas where improvements can be made to help you avoid falls. These include:

  • Adding lighting in dark places in rooms, halls, stairways. Make sure your outdoor lighting is also adequate around the entrance of your home.
  • Install grab bars and handrails in the bathroom around the toilet and shower. Make sure stairways have a railing on both sides.
  • Remove clutter on the floors. This includes stacks of magazines and papers, footstools, plants, etc.
  • Inspect the floors. Get rid of throw rugs. Nail down carpet corners that are sticking up. Make sure computer and electrical cords don’t go across a pathway.

Make Healthy Lifestyle Choices

Getting regular exercise helps strengthen your lower body and maintain flexibility in your feet. Look for exercise activities and classes that are designed to increase balance. Other ways that taking care of your health can help prevent falls include:

  • Get your eyes checked regularly. A decrease in vision may require a change in your eyeglass prescription to ensure you can see and accurately judge depth of field and see objects in your path.
  • Review your medications at least annually with your physician or pharmacist. Some medications or combination of drugs can cause you to feel dizzy, which increases the risk of falling.

If you are a senior patient and want help assessing your fall risk, contact us today.


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162 West St Ste K
Cromwell, CT 06416