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

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Posts for: March, 2020

By Feet First Foot Care Specialists, LLC
March 30, 2020
Category: shoes

At Feet First Foot Care Specialists, we know our Middlesex County patients are getting bored with being stuck at home because of the coronavirus. It’s important to try to do something positive at this time. How about cleaning out your shoe closet? The virus won’t last forever. Sort out your shoes now and you’ll be ready to greet spring and resume your social life in style. 

What to Toss

Our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, will tell you that the wrong shoes is a top cause of foot pain. In fact, many common podiatric problems including, chronic ankle instability, plantar fasciitis, and flat feet can all be caused or made worse by improper shoes. Below are some tips for sorting them out:

  • Start by getting rid of any shoes that are damaged or worn out. Shoes with holes stretched out backs and other defects can easily lead to a trip and fall injury.
  • Do you have any shoes that felt too small or that have very narrow or pointy toe boxes? It’s a surprising fact that 9 out of 10 women wear shoes that are too small for their feet. Cramped toe boxes can accelerate the progression of bunions, hammertoes, and other toe deformities. They can also cause ingrown toenails to develop. Once you can go out again, have your feet professionally measured for a proper fit and replace the pairs you are getting rid of.
  • Let’s talk about heels. Your feet have probably already let you know this, but high, spiky heels hurt! They are also unstable and force your feet forward, putting excessive pressure on the ball of your foot. If you can’t bear to part with all your heels, get rid of some of the worst offenders and limit the time you spend in the rest.
  • Over the limit athletic shoes. Did you know that walking and running shoes have a lifespan? Most of them lose their impact protection between 300-400 miles. Even if they still feel comfortable, they should be discarded once they reach that point.

We hope all our patients are staying safe. As always, you can contact our Cromwell office by calling: (860) 632-5499.


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By Feet First Foot Care Specialists, LLC
March 24, 2020
Category: exercise
Tags: exercise   good health  

Schools are closed, along with movies and gyms, and most Middlesex county families are stuck at home trying to keep a safe distance and avoid contact with the Coronavirus. At Feet First Foot Care Specialists, we know that this is a stressful time, and we want to offer a suggestion to help you and your family cope—get moving! Being taken out of our regular routines and missing many of our usual comforts can leave adults and children feeling anxious, angry or sad. There’s also all that pent-up energy that children who aren’t in gym class and spring sports must deal with. Increasing physical activity is something you can do together that will help raise spirits. It also has a whole host of other benefits such as improving circulation, maintaining range of motion in your feet, helping you maintain an appropriate weight and decreasing your risk for a host of health problems including:

  • High blood pressure
  • Heart disease
  • Diabetes
  • High cholesterol
  • Peripheral arterial disease

Creative Solutions

There are many ways to maintain a healthy fitness routine even at home—you just have to get a little creative! Some options to consider:

  • Start working on your garden. Turning over the soil, digging out rocks and roots and putting up a new fence will use muscles and burn calories. Planning what vegetables, you will plant and even starting the seeds gives everyone something to look forward to.
  • Stay in shape for your sport. Do you or your children play soccer, softball, football or another sport? Do some research and find conditioning programs geared toward your specific sport. (Now is also a good time to examine those sports shoes and make sure they still fit and are not showing signs of wear that can make them unsafe.)
  • Create a fitness circuit. We’ve all seen them in parks at schools. A fitness circuit has multiple stations that each focus on a different exercise. Make your own. Include jumping jacks, squats, pull-ups and other activities.

As always, follow our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas’s, instructions if you have a chronic foot problem like plantar fasciitis. If the new activities you are doing cause new foot pain or discomfort, contact our Cromwell office for an appointment by calling: (860) 632-5499.


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By Feet First Foot Care Specialists, LLC
March 16, 2020
Category: foot pain
Tags: fracture   sesamoids   pressure  

At Feet First Foot Care Specialists, we’ve seen rising temperatures in Middlesex county. If you’ve been inspired to get outside and get active and you’ve now begun to feel pain in the ball of your foot, you may have aggravated your sesamoids. These tiny bones (about the size of a corn kernel) are located on the bottom of your forefoot near your big toe. Sesamoids are connected to tendons or embedded in muscle. They are a unique structure found in only a few places in your body. For your foot, the sesamoids provide a smooth surface that facilitates the sliding of the tendons that transmit muscle force and help you elevate your big toe when you walk. Although these bones are small, they can cause significant pain when they become inflamed.

Protecting Your Sesamoids

The source of sesamoid problems is pressure and overuse. Like other bones, sesamoids can fracture. More often, however, is that the tendons surrounding the sesamoids become inflamed and irritated, causing a form of tendonitis known as sesamoiditis. This condition is common in runners, baseball catchers, dancers, and anyone whose fitness activities focus pressure on the ball of the foot.

If you’ve aggravated your sesamoids, in addition to the pain, you may notice swelling or bruising and difficulty bending and straightening your big toe. Fortunately, sesamoid discomfort usually responds to conservative treatment methods. The first step is having your foot examined by our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, to rule out other conditions with similar symptoms. If sesamoiditis is confirmed, the foot doctor will want you to rest from activities that cause the pain. He may recommend over-the-counter anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen and icing the sole of your foot to relieve pain. Once the inflammation subsides, wearing shoes that have low heeled and soft-soled, along with extra cushioning in your shoes may help prevent future sesamoid problems.

If you are experiencing pain or other symptoms in the ball of your foot, our Cromwell office for an appointment by calling: (860) 632-5499.


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By Feet First Foot Care Specialists, LLC
March 10, 2020
Category: sports injuries

It’s time for March Madness, and we at Feet First Foot Care Specialists know that many of our Middlesex County patients and their children like to play basketball as well as watch. That’s why we want to share some information about basketball injuries. Basketball is exciting to watch due to its non-stop action—running, jumping, and quick changes of direction. All these same elements, however, can put a strain on several areas of your lower extremities.

Heel

Pounding up and down the court takes a toll on your heels. The repetitive impact can cause pain and swelling. It can also cause inflammation of the plantar fascia—a long band of tissue that connects your toes and heel bone. It results in heel pain and a condition called plantar fasciitis. For young players, ages 8-15, another condition may also develop. Known as Sever’s disease, it is an inflammation of the not fully formed growth plate at the back of the heel. Even if the heel pain is intermittent, it’s important to get it checked by our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, so it can be treated before it gets worse.

Ankle

Landing wrong after a jump shot and rolling your ankle or a sudden change in direction that throws you off balance can cause an ankle sprain. The ligaments that surround your ankle get overstretched in a sprain and they can also tear or rupture. Signs of a sprain are pain, swelling, bruising, and difficulty bearing weight on the injured foot. PRICE: Protect, Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation are the first line of treatment until the podiatrist can evaluate the severity of the ankle injury.

Forefoot

A fracture at the base of the fifth metatarsal, known as a Jones Fracture, is a common basketball injury. Running and jumping create high impact pressure on the forefoot, which can also lead to stress fractures and overuse injuries in the ball of your foot areas such as sesamoiditis and metatarsalgia.

Potential injuries shouldn’t deter you from playing basketball, but being aware of vulnerable areas can help you protect them with proper footwear and techniques. If you experience any pain from basketball or another sport, don’t delay seeking treatment. Contact our Cromwell office for an appointment by calling: (860) 632-5499.


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By Feet First Foot Care Specialists, LLC
March 03, 2020
Category: Bunion

Your mother had bunions, your grandmother had bunions, and now you detect one developing. At Feet First Foot Care Specialists, we often find that our Middlesex County patients believe there is not much that can be done and accept bunions and don’t seek treatment. This is far from true, however, and one major area where simple changes can make a big difference is in your footwear. 

A Common Cause

While bunions themselves are not hereditary, biomechanical defects in the structure of the foot can be passed from generation to generation. The leading cause of bunion formation, however, is wearing improper footwear. Shoes that have narrow, pointy toes and are too tight encourage the big toe to move out of place and start to drift toward the second toe. The same goes for high-heeled styles that force the foot forward, exerting extra pressure on the toes. Although both men and women can get bunions, women get those far more often, and shoe choice has a lot to do with it. Other causes of bunions include:

  • Injuries
  • Flat feet or pronated feet
  • Neuromuscular problems

Choose Better Shoes

If you already have a bunion, you probably are experiencing the discomfort that comes from the friction and rubbing of the enlargement at the base of your toe against your shoes. Walking can become quite painful and challenging as the bunion grows, and the skin becomes increasingly tender. Over time, corns and calluses may form, and arthritis or bursitis may also set in. You can help alleviate pain and slow the progression of a bunion by choosing shoes that have a low heel and a roomy, wide toe box. Soft, flexible material will also increase comfort.

Regardless of the size of your bunion, it’s important to contact our Cromwell office for an appointment by calling: (860) 632-5499. Our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, will evaluate your bunion and recommend other treatment options as well to help re-align your toe properly and reduce discomfort caused by bunions.


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162 West St Ste K
Cromwell, CT 06416