(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: February, 2020

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
February 17, 2020
Category: blister
Tags: podiatrist   blister   exercise   foot care  

At Feet First Foot Care Specialists, we’ve seen many a Middlesex county patient give up on a new walking or running program because of tiny irritation that causes a big pain—the blister. We don’t judge—if you’ve had one, you know how painful a blister can be. And it can sideline you for several days—enough to lose the momentum and the habit you were trying to put in place of committing to a regular fitness routine.

A better understanding of what causes blisters, however, can help you prevent them in the first place. Below are some tips to help you avoid this fitness buster:

Podiatric Conditions

Toe deformities such as bunions or hammertoes and biomechanical problems like flat feet or plantar fasciitis can affect how much friction is applied to your feet. Talk to our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, if you have a chronic foot condition that may impact your risk for blisters. If the foot doctor suggests an orthotic insert, see if it is available in gel or foam—plastic tends to slide around more, increasing friction and the chance of blisters. Contact our Cromwell office for an appointment by calling: (860) 632-5499.

Shoes

It goes without saying that properly fitting shoes are a must for blister prevention. Try these suggestions:

  • Get your feet professionally measured at a store that specializes in fitness or walking shoes.

  • Shop at the end of a long day—your feet will be their most swollen then, and this will help you avoid buying shoes that feel fine when you leave the store but later hurt your feet.

  • Rearrange your laces. Sometimes it’s as simple as changing where the pressure points are.

  • Run your hand around the inside of the shoe you’re considering to check for rough patches or heavy stitching that could rub on your foot.

Moisture—friction occurs when feet sweat. Keep feet dry by observing the following steps:

  • Use a foot powder before putting on your socks.
  • Avoid 100% cotton socks—they tend to hold moisture. Instead, pick a synthetic material or blend that wicks moisture away from your skin.

0 Comment(s) Permalink
By Feet First Foot Care Specialists
February 10, 2020
Category: Heart Health
Tags: heart health   foot health  

It’s American Heart Month, and at Feet First Foot Care Specialists, we want our Middlesex County patients to have the facts about heart disease.

Consider these statistics:

  • Heart disease is the biggest killer in our country, taking the lives of more people than all forms of cancer combined.

  • 72% of Americans don’t consider themselves to be at risk for heart disease.

  • 83% believe that it’s possible to prevent heart attacks but aren’t motivated to do anything.

It’s true that there has been a significant advance in medicine in the field of heart health.  Still, unhealthy lifestyle choices—primary among these being the continual rise in obesity rates—have made fighting heart disease difficult.

Being overweight also carries consequences for your feet, including:

  • Excessive pressure on joints, increasing the risk and pain of arthritis

  • Increased risk for several podiatric conditions including plantar fasciitis, flat feet, and sesamoiditis, to name a few

  • Decreases your ability to be active, which in turn reduces your ability to lose weight

Take Small Steps

Experience shows that trying to make multiple, dramatic changes all at once is not usually successful. In addition, fad diets that promise fast weight loss tend to have short-lived results. Instead, try some of these simple changes to decrease calories in and increase calories burned:

  • Re-design your dinner plate. Start by filling half of your plate with vegetables and salad. Then use one quarter for lean protein and the last quarter for carbohydrates (starches).

  • Use a smaller size plate to reduce portion size.

  • Make smart swaps: low-fat milk for full fat, salted caramel yogurt for ice cream, flavored seltzer for soda.

  • Find more ways to move. Choose the parking space furthest away from stores and your office. Get off the bus one stop earlier and walk the rest of the way. Walk while you talk on the phone.

  • Make exercise social. Instead of meeting for drinks, suggest a walk in the park. Join a dance class or hiking club.

If increases in physical activity cause pain or discomfort in your feet or ankles, contact our Cromwell office promptly so that our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, can examine your feet and get to the root of the problem.


0 Comment(s) Permalink
By Feet First Foot Care Specialists
February 03, 2020
Category: Foot Care

Have you had enough of winter in Middlesex County? If you’re ready to take a trip to a warmer climate, we at Feet First Foot Care Specialists want to offer some packing tips. Although we’re pretty certain you won’t forget your bathing suit and sunglasses, there may be a few items you haven’t thought of that will make the trip safer and more comfortable for your feet.

Here are our suggestions:

  • A trusted walking shoe. If you picked up a pair of strappy sandals at the end of summer clearance last year, you may be itching to wear them. It’s fine to pack them, but make sure they’re not your only shoes. Travel days especially require comfortable shoes with good arch support, cushioned heel cup, and wide toe box to ensure catching your flight doesn’t end with blisters or an ankle sprain.

  • Flip-flops. Although you’ll never hear us recommending flip-flops as a good choice of footwear, they do have one excellent use: keeping your feet covered around pools, beach bathrooms and other public places where there’s a risk of contracting fungal infections. Any place that’s moist, warm, and has many people with bare feet walking around, is a prime locale for getting athlete’s foot or toenail fungus. If you notice any odd rashes or other symptoms on your feet or nails when you return, make an appointment promptly at our Cromwell office by calling: (860) 632-5499.

  • Moleskin. Even shoes that fit properly can start to rub on your feet if you perspire. You can stop a blister from forming by applying a small piece of moleskin over a spot that starts to feel irritated.

  • Water bottle. Feet are more likely to swell in hot climates, and when they do, shoes begin to feel tight and hurt. Drinking plenty of water will help reduce the risk of uncomfortable edema.

  • Nail clippers and emery board. A rough or jagged nail may not seem like a major problem—until it is snagged on your beach towel and tears.

  • Mini first aid kit. Just in case, have some bandages and antibiotic ointment to treat minor scrapes and cuts on your feet.

  • Footgear. If our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, has prescribed a brace, custom orthotic or another device as part of treatment for a podiatric condition, be sure to bring it with you to avoid foot pain and injury while you’re away.

Come see us for all of your foot and ankle care needs. Feet First Foot Care Specialists, LLC  162 West St., Suite K, Cromwell, CT 06416  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