BURLINGTON, MA—Have you ever had back pain or pulled your muscle while doing your routine exercise or gardening? Dr. Sameer Kapasi and Dr. Sharmila Mudgal , two area experts on spinal health and back pain, will talk about this issue at Mega Health Expo on Sunday, April 3, at Burlington Marriott Hotel in Burlington, MA.

“While gardening or performing any sort of labor, it is always a good idea to slowly build up to your goals. It is generally not a good idea to pick up back 50 pound tree, unless you are regularly taking up 50 pound tree and can support that weight easily with your hip girdle muscles,” says Dr. Kapasi, a board certified physician in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and an elected  fellow of the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Dr. Kapasi, who also is President-Elect of Indian Medical Association of New England, known as IMANE, said that it is always a good idea to change positions frequently while one is gardening.

Dr. Kapasi practices in the Greater Boston area and is actively involved in training students, residents, fellows, and international/national physicians as a faculty member with the North American Spine Society and Assistant Professor at Tufts Medical School.

“Typically, formal exercise programs employ hip and back strengthening as primary parts of these programs; however, many of us ignore the spine and hips when going to the gym in favor of muscles that look pretty, like our abdominals, biceps, and chest,” Dr. Kapasi said. “Hence, if you exercise on your own, do not forget to build up your hip flexors, quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles first before moving on to the prettier muscles.”

Dr. Sharmila Mudgal

At the Health Expo, Dr. Kapasi will talk about these issues in “Spinal Health” panel, which will be held at 10:30 am. He will be joined by Dr. Sharmila Mudgal, an Occupational Health Specialist at Sports Medicine North.

Dr. Mudgal is a board certified physician specializing in Occupational Medicine. With a degree from the Harvard School of Public Health, Dr. Mudgal is an expert in the diagnosis of industrial injuries and work-related illnesses. As a patient advocate, Dr. Mudgal is dedicated to the injured worker, providing treatment plans that focus on restoring patient function and transitioning them back to their work environment safely.

The Health Expo is organized by INE MultiMedia in collaboration with INDIA New England News, and is sponsored by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Lahey Health, Cambridge Health Alliance and Need Medical Spa.