Up Close With Sabrina Strickland

Healthy Life CT magazine—December 30, 2011

As a child growing up in Massachusetts, Sabrina Strickland knew she liked to fix things. But it was in the fifth grade that she made up her mind that what she wanted to fix was people.

"I decided I wanted to be a surgeon," she says, explaining that a teacher exposed her to the medical field through class trips and dissection projects. "I just never changed my mind."

Now an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine with Hospital for Special Surgery, Strickland sees patients in the hospital's Greenwich office, many of whom are women and teenage girls dealing with sports injuries. A skier and tennis player herself, Strickland believes in the importance of an active lifestyle and is passionate about helping her patients get back to the activities they love -- and being comfortable doing them. "It's a very positive feeling, knowing that I can help them make it hurt less, or not hurt at all."

How do you round out your physical activity to stay so fit? On the weekends I get plenty of cardio. I like the core-fusion type of classes, where you work your core but get toning as well. Pilates is good. And weight lifting is really good for the bones, not to mention that the more muscle mass you have means you burn more calories even if you're just sitting. I go on bike rides with my kids and occasionally I go running. I try to mix it up on the weekends, but definitely my favorite activity is skiing.

Speaking as a doctor and orthopedic surgeon, what's the most important health/fitness tip you'd like to share with our readers? Do something every single day, even if you only have 10 minutes.

Story originally published at healthylifect.com.