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

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Posts for tag: foot care

By Feet First Foot Care Specialists
April 26, 2021
Category: exercise

As we slowly but surely emerge from COVID lockdowns and restrictions, we at Feet First Foot Care Specialists know many of our Middlesex County patients are experiencing unexpected foot pain as they begin to be more active. Your podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, can help you make the re-entry into a more active lifestyle smoothly and pain-free.

Start with A Checkup—the first step is to schedule a podiatric checkup at our Cromwell office by calling 860-632-5499. The foot doctor will give your feet and ankles a thorough examination and look for any developing problems. If you have a chronic foot problem such as bunions or flat feet, the podiatrist will assess their progression and decide if your treatment plan needs to be updated.

Get the Right Shoes—did you know the foot doctor can help you with proper sports shoe selection? Your podiatrist can analyze your gait and tell quite a bit about how your unique feet work by examining the wear pattern on your current fitness shoes. Shoes designed to accommodate your specific foot care needs for the sport or activity you plan to engage in can increase comfort, safety, and performance. The foot doctor can also make recommendations on proper fit, sock choice, and lacing technique to give you the best shot at a successful fitness program.

Practice Injury Prevention—many injuries that are commonly associated with sports ranging from blisters and shin splints to plantar fasciitis and ankle strain. While the podiatrist can treat all of these conditions, he would much rather help you prevent them! Proper stretching techniques before and after exercise can help. Choosing a program that suits your current fitness level and allows you to progress gradually to more strenuous exercise is also a must.

Regular exercise has many benefits to your feet and the rest of your body. If you experience pain or discomfort at any point during or after working out, be sure to contact us promptly, 860-632-5499.

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By Feet First Foot Care Specialists
April 20, 2021
Category: Foot Care

When does taking care of your feet not directly involve your feet? In honor of National Foot Health Awareness Month, we at Feet First Foot Care Specialists want to share some essential tips for podiatric health that may surprise you.

  1. Eat Nutritiously—The food you eat has an impact on your feet and ankles. It’s important to get enough calcium and vitamin D through dairy products, leafy greens, beans, lentils, sardines, and canned salmon to support the 26 bones in each of your feet. You can also help control inflammation—a common symptom in many foot disorders—by eating foods that fight inflammation (berries, salmon, turmeric, flax) and avoiding those that can elevate it (fried and processed foods, sugars).

  2. Maintain a Healthy Weight—If only each pound you gain put one additional pound of pressure on your feet. However, you gain the load on your lower extremities for every pound by 3-5 pounds. Many common foot ailments like flat feet, sesamoiditis, and plantar fasciitis are made much worse by being overweight.

  3. Don’t Smoke—In addition to raising your risk for cancer and heart disease, smoking also impedes circulation. Good blood flow is essential for health and healing in your lower legs and feet.

  4. Exercise Regularly—When you commit to getting at least 150 or more active minutes a week, you benefit your feet in more than one way. You improve flexibility and circulation. Being physically active also helps you burn calories and keep your weight down. Additionally, exercise can be a safeguard against other diseases associated with medical complications for feet and ankles.

  5. Get Annual Eye Exams—One common cause of trips and falls, resulting in ankle sprains, fractures, and other injuries, is poor vision. Changes to your eyes can occur slowly and gradually. Sticking to a regular schedule of eye exams will minimize this risk.

  6. Manage Medical Conditions— Several systemic diseases can harm your feet. Diabetes and heart disease, for example, can both cause poor circulation, which increases the chance of infection and even amputation. Following your doctor’s treatment plan and making lifestyle choices that help keep these and other conditions in check will improve the health of your feet.

If you have questions about how to be proactive in the health of your feet and ankles, don’t hesitate to ask our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, during your next visit to our Cromwell office at 860-632-5499.

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By Feet First Foot Care Specialists
April 13, 2021
Category: foot safety

According to the American Journal of Emergency Medicine’s most recent statistics, on average, nearly 85,000 injuries occur each year from mowing the lawn. As grass greens up in Middlesex County, we at Feet First Foot Care Specialists want to offer the following do’s and don’ts to protect your feet (and the rest of your body) while taking care of this common chore.

Do: Start the season by checking your mower is in good working order. Get serviced professionally if necessary. Avoid removing any parts or making modifications to the mower.

Don’t: Mow the lawn in flip-flops or barefoot. Your best footwear choice is a work boot or other heavy shoe. Even sneakers are no match for the sharp blades of a power mower.

Don’t: Cut the grass when it’s wet. Losing control of a mower on a wet, slippery lawn is the number one cause of mower injuries to the feet.

Do: Clear the lawn of debris. Sticks, rocks, and children’s toys all have the danger of shooting out at high speeds from a power mower and pose a risk of injury to bystanders.

Do: Make clear and firm rules for children to follow when you are mowing. These should include never approaching you while the mower is running. It’s best if children stay inside until you’ve finished the lawn mowing. Instruct your children not to touch the lawnmower, even when it’s not on. Mowers remain hot for a long time once turned off, and the blades are sharp whether the mower is running or not.

Don’t: Give children rides on the lawnmower. Thousands of children are treated in the emergency room each year due to foot injuries climbing on or off a riding mower.

Do: Treat any injury from a mower promptly. Blades are dirty, and even a minor cut can quickly become infected. If you have concerns about a foot injury you received while mowing, contact our Cromwell office call 860-632-5499 for an evaluation by our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas.

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By Feet First Foot Care Specialists
March 22, 2021
Category: Foot Care
Tags: swollen feet   foot care  

Swelling in your feet or ankles can be annoying, but at Feet First Foot Care Specialists, our Middlesex County patients will often ask if this is a serious problem. The answer isn’t so easy. Swelling can be common when the weather is hot, you’ve been on your feet for too long, or if you’re pregnant. Some patients are also prone to edema—a condition where excess water in the body gets stored in your tissues, causing puffiness and swelling. However, swollen ankles and feet can be a sign of a more concerning condition.

When Swelling Requires Medical Attention

Some possible medical conditions that podiatric swelling may be indicative of include:

  • Infection
  • Injuries—such as a sprain or fracture
  • Kidney disease
  • Liver problems
  • Heart failure
  • Venous insufficiency
  • Diabetes
  • Lymphedema
  • Blood Clot

For this reason, our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, should evaluate any ongoing swelling issues. To make an appointment at our Cromwell office, call 860-632-5499. The foot doctor will want to examine your feet and get your medical history.

In some cases, swelling in your legs, ankles, or feet may require immediate emergency attention.

Seek emergency care right away if any of these other symptoms accompany your swelling:

  • Fever
  • Chest pain, pressure, or tightness
  • Shortness of breath
  • Redness, warmth, or heat in the swollen area
  • If the swelling is just in one limb

Helpful Tips

In general, you can help decrease swelling (not caused by an underlying medical condition) by eating less salt and drinking plenty of water. Avoid standing for long periods. Leg exercises can help too. Try elevating your feet over your heart at the end of the day or laying on the floor with your feet up against a wall. 

As always, if you have unexplained foot or ankle pain or discomfort, please don’t delay. Contact us today at 860-632-5499.

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By Feet First Foot Care Specialists
July 27, 2020
Category: foot surgery

At Feet First Foot Care Specialists, we always exhaust conservative treatment methods for our Middlesex County patients before considering surgery. When a condition fails to continue to respond or improve using non-invasive options, however, surgery can provide the permanent correction to an ongoing foot or ankle problem.

Some examples of podiatric problems where surgery may be indicated include:

Sometimes even seemingly minor problems like corns, calluses, warts, and ingrown toenails may require surgery if they are recurring and unable to fix with other treatment methods. You should consult with our podiatrist, Dr. Adam Mucinskas, to determine if surgery is the right choice for you at this time.

Paving the Way for a Smooth Recovery

Once the decision for surgery has been made, it’s time to take steps to ensure your procedure and recovery will go as well as possible with few or no surprises. Below are some tips to help:

  • Start by making sure you fully understand the procedure you’ll be undergoing. Ask the foot doctor questions about where the surgery will be performed, whether it will be outpatient or require a hospital stay, how long it should take, and what type of anesthesia will be used.
  • Schedule all pre-tests and other appointments necessary before surgery.
  • Find out how long the foot doctor expects your recovery to take and plan to take an adequate amount of time off and re-schedule any significant family events. Don’t short-change yourself on recovery time! Bearing weight on the affected foot or beginning to drive before the podiatrist gives the go-ahead can slow or inhibit your recovery and possibly cause re-injury.
  • Determine if you will need special equipment such as a scooter, crutches, etc. and rearrange your living space to accommodate their usage if necessary. Find out if you will need physical therapy, or other follow up treatments post-op and schedule,le those.
  • Finally, enlist help from family and friends to ensure that you can rest and recover worry-free. Meals, rides for your children, and offers to run errands or grocery shop will make it possible for you to focus on the work of healing.

If you have questions about an upcoming surgery, don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Adam Mucinskas and our Cromwell office by calling (860) 632-5499.

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162 West St Ste K
Cromwell, CT 06416