(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: August, 2020

By Feet First Foot Care Specialists
August 24, 2020
Category: fitness tips

At Feet First Foot Care Specialists, we know the updates on the youth fall sports season are coming fast and furious and changing daily for our Middlesex County patients and their families. Most scenarios are looking at a shortened fall sports season. Whether your child’s team has made a plan or is still on hold, now is the time to start helping your child increase physical activity and begin conditioning at home.

Take it Slow—if your child has spent a large part of the summer playing video games with friends, or on their phone or tablet, the first step is just getting them up and moving more. For younger children, set limits on the amount of screen time available. If engaging in more physically active pursuits doesn’t come naturally for them, you can still subtly increase activity by parking further away from your destinations, asking them to run errands for you, and giving them some chores that require a little heavy breathing.

Check Your Gear—if your child is returning to a sport they’ve already been participating in, now’s a good time to check their equipment to see if they’ve outgrown any of it, or if it’s time to replace items due to wear and tear. The same goes for their shoes. The right shoes for the sport your child plays in can help increase comfort and performance and decrease the chances of a foot or ankle injury.

Call in the Coach—most coaches will be all too happy to advise you and your child on stretching and exercise routines that can be done at home and will help prepare them for the sports season ahead. Help your child make a training schedule and stick to it. Don’t allow them to skimp on the warmup or cool down to protect muscles, ligaments, and tendons.

It’s possible to avoid many sports injuries by being in good physical condition and gradually working your way up to elevated levels of fitness activities. If your child encounters any foot or ankle pain during the pre-season, or you have other concerns about their podiatric health, don’t hesitate to contact our Cromwell office for an appointment by calling: (860) 632-5499 to schedule an appointment with our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas for an evaluation.   


0 Comment(s) Permalink
By Feet First Foot Care Specialists
August 18, 2020
Category: community outreach
Tags: back to school   foot health  

At Feet First Foot Specialists, we know that our Middlesex County families are anxious about what the new school year will bring with the COVID pandemic. Whether your children are going back to the classroom full-time, distance-learning, or some hybrid combination, there are steps you can take to reduce fears and help your children learn as much as possible in the current climate.

  • Do: try to maintain the back to school rituals your child is familiar with. It may include shopping for new clothes and shoes, which is valuable even if distance learning will be the order of the day. Just like adults who work from home, having a routine that involves getting out of your pajamas and dressed for the workday helps set a productive tone. If your child has developed any foot or ankle pain over the summer, make sure you contact our Cromwell office for an appointment with our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, to have it evaluated. The foot doctor may have recommendations about shoes that will best address any podiatric issues your child is having.
  • Don’t: gloss over the changes children will be facing. It’s best to address concerns head-on. Will I have to wear a mask? Am I allowed to talk to my friends? Will there still be gym class? Will I get sick? These are just a few of the worries your child may have. Encourage them to ask questions and do your best to give truthful, reassuring answers.
  • Do: find opportunities for peer socialization. Sitting behind a screen can’t provide the necessary social interaction that is part of the education experience. If going into the classroom isn’t an option, try to arrange safe, in-person study opportunities, perhaps outdoors with masks and 6-foot distancing.
  • Do: make sure where ever learning is to take place your child is well-equipped with the supplies they need. For at-home learning, that may mean rearranging space to create a dedicated area for learning and upgrading internet and router capabilities.
  • Don’t: forget physical activity and fun. If traditional gym classes are not happening for your child, remember the recommended is still that they get a minimum of 60 minutes of physical activity daily. Schedule time for walks, bike rides, or sports as possible. Not only will this help keep your child in shape, but it will also give him or her a healthy outlet to blow off steam and help cope with the stress this new school year may bring.

If you have any questions regarding your child’s foot health, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here for you and your family.
860-632-5499, 162 West St Ste K, Cromwell, CT 06416.


0 Comment(s) Permalink
By Feet First Foot Care Specialists
August 12, 2020
Category: Bunion
Tags: bunionette   toe condition  

At Feet First Foot Care Specialists, we find many patients are not familiar with tailor’s bunions, also called bunionettes. This type of bunion develops at the base of the little toe at the end of the fifth metatarsal head. It gets its name from what was once an occupational hazard for tailors. Long ago, tailors would sit cross-legged all day while doing their work. The constant rubbing of the outside of the little toe on the ground would result in a painful bump forming at the base of the toe. Although less common than traditional bunions, which manifest on the outside of the big toe, tailor’s bunions have similar symptoms, including pain, redness, and swelling at the site of the protrusion.

Getting Relief from Pain

Similar to regular bunions, tailor’s bunions cause considerable pain when they rub up against your shoes. While faulty foot structure may be the root cause of a tailor’s bunion, your shoes can play a big role in the progression of this condition. Choosing styles with a roomy, wide toe box, and avoiding high heels with pointy toe area is highly recommended. You may also want to use padding to help protect and cushion the bunionette. Over time, the constant friction from footwear may lead to secondary problems like corns.

If you believe you have a tailor’s bunion forming, it’s important you make an appointment at our Cromwell office by calling (860) 632-5499 and have it evaluated by our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas. The foot doctor may also suggest other treatment options, such as:

  • Icing
  • Oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications
  • Corticosteroid injections
  • Custom orthotics

If none of these treatments are successful in relieving the discomfort of a tailor’s bunion, the podiatrist may recommend surgery to correct the deformity. As with all progressive conditions, it’s best to examine your feet regularly and report significant changes to your foot doctor promptly.


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

With high humidity and temperatures climbing to over 90 fairly consistently in Middlesex County, we at Feet First Foot Care Specialists know patients who experience swelling of the feet and ankles may think the weather is the cause of their discomfort. While it’s true prolonged exposure to high heat can result in dilation of blood vessels, which in turn causes fluid to pool in your feet, there are other, more concerning reasons for swelling (also known as edema). If your swelling doesn’t diminish after you put your feet up for while inside where it’s cooler, it may be due to one of the five reasons below.

  1. Sprained ankle—did your ankle give way recently when you were walking? Even it wasn’t bad enough for you to fall, you may have overstretched the ligaments. Swelling can be a sign of a sprain. Try to stay off the foot for a while and keep it elevated as much as possible. Apply ice and a compression bandage to help reduce swelling. If this does not work or it becomes painful, make an appointment at our Cromwell office by calling (860) 632-5499 so that our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, can examine the injury.
  2. Pregnancy complications—if you’re expecting, some swelling is normal due to physical and hormonal changes your body is going through. However, sudden swelling, especially if accompanied by abdominal pain, headache, nausea, or vision changes can signal a serious medical problem called preeclampsia. This condition occurs after the 20th week of pregnancy and causes dangerously high blood pressure.
  3. Medication—many drugs may have the side effect of causing swelling of feet or ankles. Some examples include hormones, steroids, blood pressure medications that are calcium channel blockers, certain anti-depressants, and some drugs used to treat diabetes.
  4. Infection—sometimes swelling indicates an infection in your foot. Patients suffering from diabetic neuropathy or other nerve condition are more susceptible to foot infections. If you have one of these conditions, you should report swelling to the podiatrist as soon as possible.
  5. Organ disease—the heart, liver, and kidneys when failing can all cause swelling of the feet as a symptom and may be accompanied by loss of appetite, fatigue, and weight gain. These are obviously very serious conditions and illustrate why it’s important to not delay in seeking treatment for edema.

If you have persistent swelling in your lower extremities, Dr.Adam Mucinskas and Feet First Foot Care Specialists can help you. Contact us 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