Sherrie Glasser-Mayrsohn: Pointers for Safe Gardening

Sherrie Glasser-Mayrsohn is a physical therapist who owns and operates Metro Physical and Aquatic Therapy. The facility, with ten locations throughout Long Island, offers treatments for a variety of injuries. The staff treats a diverse client base, including professional athletes, elderly individuals, and young children.

Sherrie encourages a steady exercise routine as a way to supplement physical therapy treatments. She suggests that patients get a half hour of exercise at least five days a week. The individual can choose whatever type of workout they find appealing, but Sherrie finds that many of her patients enjoy gardening during the warm months. Not only does gardening get the heart pumping, but it also yields beautiful results. While Sherrie fully supports gardening as an exercise form, she encourages clients to keep these tips in mind so as to preserve the health of the back and spine while partaking in this hobby:

• Don’t spend too much time stooped or bent over as you plant. If you must spend time in this position, give your back frequent breaks. Stand up, place your hands in the small of your back, and arch your back for a few seconds. This helps to stretch the muscles and prevent muscle strains.
• Buy garden products in smaller bags to avoid having to lift extremely heavy weights. This is how people pull muscles and suffer other injuries. If you must lift heavy items, use a wheelbarrow to transport these materials.
• When lifting, don’t forget to bend your knees, hold the object close to you, tighten your stomach, and keep your spine straight. This will protect you from injury.
• Break up the work over a few days. Even if you don’t have a lot of work to do, don’t try to get it all done at once. You can overexert your muscles without even realizing it until you wake up the next day and feel soreness. Sherrie Glasser-Mayrsohn suggests planning on spending an hour or two in the garden, and then taking a break until the next day. This is especially important if you’re doing a particularly strenuous task such as digging.

Sherrie Glasser-Mayrsohn: Injury-Free Gardening

Sherrie Glasser-Mayrsohn encourages patients to get regular exercise as a way to make physical therapy treatments more effective. Sherrie Glasser-Mayrsohn emphasizes the importance of protecting your back and spine as you participate in beloved hobbies. Remaining conscious of your posture helps to prevent re-injury. Sherrie Glasser-Mayrsohn is the founder of Metro Physical and Aquatic Therapy, which has served patients since 1982.