Lydia Irons works with a client.

AMHERST — Lydia Irons, owner of The Flexible Farmer, will lead a workshop on injury prevention for farm workers gearing up for this season on Wednesday, May 8 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Cape Cod Lounge in the Student Union, 280 Hicks Way, at the University of Massachusetts.

“Protect Your Workers’ Bodies! Injury Prevention for this Season’s Crew” is a 90-minute injury prevention and body mechanics training session sponsored by the UMass Student Farm. The workshop is geared particularly towards first-time farm workers but is open to anyone who will be working on a farm this summer.

“People who will be working all summer on a farm and have never done it before will be working in ways they are not used to. Knowing ways to safely and effectively do their work without risking injury is a huge benefit not only to them but also to their employers,” said Irons, a licensed massage therapist. “This workshop will be hands-on and interactive, and there will be lots of time for questions.”

The workshop will include information on the following:

• Functional anatomy: what people should know about their bodies.
• Understanding good body mechanics: economy of movement, protecting joint space, assessing the task and body positioning.
• Injury prevention tips: how to warm up, maintain and restore from the work.
• Maintaining the overall health of the working body and care tips for problem areas.

A donation of $5 is suggested. No advance registration is necessary. Light refreshments will be provided.

The Flexible Farmer, based in Hadley, offers massage for laborers in western Massachusetts and professional body work with a foundation in therapeutic and sports massage.

For more information, contact Irons at (603) 883-1809 or email her at info@theflexiblefarmer.com.

Photo courtesy dbaron via Flickr. Used under Creative Commons license.