A local physical therapist will present the first program of the new season for Town & Country Garden Club of Newtown.

Karin LaBanca, PT, DPT, owner and physical therapist of Fisio Physical Therapy & Wellness, will be the guest speaker for the garden club on Wednesday, September 11. The club meets at Newtown Senior Center, now located at 8 Simpson Street within the Fairfield Hills campus.

A business meeting will begin at 6 pm, and the evening’s program will begin at 7. Ms LaBanca will address a topic many gardeners are familiar with: coping with the aches and pains that often accompany gardening and nurturing plants.

Her program will cover common gardening injuries, body parts that can be affected, and ways to prevent strain while gardening.

Ms LaBanca started working in physical therapy at 16 years old, following an injury. She graduated in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from Russell Sage College in Troy, N.Y.

She has worked in several settings, such as home care, hospital inpatient/outpatient care, and in a center taking care of people with developmental delays.

Her interest lies in manual therapy interventions such as Cyriax, Mulligan, Craniosacral, myofascial release in conjunction with therapeutic exercise, and postural education.

Ms LaBanca returned to college at Quinnipiac University to earn a master’s degree in Orthopedics, which she received in 2001. She took several courses there and then transferred to Creighton University for a doctorate in physical therapy, graduating in 2007.

Through her doctoral education, Ms Labanca learned a great deal about pharmacology, radiology, ethics, healthcare systems, and anatomy.

She opened fisio Physical Therapy & Wellness LLC in July 2011 and moved the clinic to Newtown in 2013. She now owns her own building and property for fisio in Newtown and is thrilled to be able to take care of people of all ages in a fun, therapeutic setting filled with music and laughter.

Reservations are not needed for Town & Country Garden Club programs, but additional information is available by calling 203-885-3975.