Man From The South Post

In the story of the American boy who placed a bet on his left pinkie finger and somehow won, let's flip the script and see what would have happened if he had actually lost.  If he had lost, he would have had the pinkie finger on his left hand chopped off.  Now, some of us might think that is not that bad, and losing your thumb or index finger would be much worse.  However, in reality, if someone were to lose their pinkie finger, on either hand, they would lose up to 50% of their grip strength.  Yes, you heard me right...50. Percent.  That's a large percentage for such a small finger!  We unknowingly rely on the pinkie more than we think we do.  So if this American boy, who is also a soldier in training, were to have lost the bet and had his left pinkie finger chopped off, he would more than likely struggle through basic training camp when he returned.  His grip strength on his rifle would be severely depleted, as well as his ability to perform well in the mandatory PT tests conducted during the training process.  Due to this, he might flunk out of basic and would have to return to civilian life, which he might not want to do, since during this time period, men were mandated and drafted to serve in the military.  One major thing that the boy could do to hopefully get back to his daily occupations of being a soldier, would be to work on grip strength exercises without the use of his left pinkie.  It is not at all impossible to live a fulfilling life without a pinkie, it will just take time and patience to get back to full usage.

What I learned about Health Promotion

Being able to sit in on Professor Flick's presentation/lecture on Health Promotion was really amazing.  Firstly, I could tell just how excited/passionate she was about presenting the information to us, which made it more interesting and fun to learn about.  I learned a great deal in the presentation, things I believe will stick with me years down the road, especially once I start practicing as an occupational therapist.  The social determinants of health were some of the major takeaways from the presentation. Some of the things that we learned about that are considered social determinants were a little surprising, but after Professor Flick went over them, they all made sense.  And none felt more important than others.  One of the other major takeaways I had from the presentation was the difference between occupational deprivation, apartheid, and alienation, and how they are often not seen separately, but happen almost simultaneously, especially depending on the situation. 

Scapulohumeral Rhythm

The clinical relevance of the scapulohumeral rhythm is that it plays a major role in the function of the shoulder.  Due to the complexity of this rhythm, it can greatly affect ROM measurements/movements of the shoulder.  Firstly, the ratio of movement between the scapula and humerus must be addressed.  For full 180 degrees of motion, the scapula moves 60 degrees, and the humerus moves 120 degrees.  When dysfunction occurs, abduction of the glenohumeral joint can be affected.  This is prevalent in when someone tries to lift their shoulder and there is a large substitution in trunk flexion to try and lift the arm up into the air.  The scapula is controlled greatly by the serratus anterior muscle, and if the muscle is not working properly, the scapula may wing, which would cause the shoulder to not be able to lift and may cause impingement or rotator cuff problems.  The scapulohumeral rhythm also allows for good length-tension relationship, so if a problem occurs with the rhythm, such relationship may be affected as well.  

Independent Work: What Did I Learn?

I learned a great deal from the independent work we had to do from this past week.  I learned about Assistive Technology and how beneficial it can be for those who have a disability, whether if it is mild or closer to severe.  Learning about the different myths of AT devices was also new knowledge for me.  When I was observing at a clinic that specialized in pediatrics, I was able to see how AT devices are used, and how many different kinds of AT devices there are!  The amount is infinite and I just find it so fascinating how far our advancements have become to allow these types of devices to be able to help those with disabilities.
The TED Talk by Michael Nesmith was also very insightful.  He is a man who was born deaf and has been deaf his whole life.  His talk was on the idea and usage of universal design, which explains devices or things that are designed to be used by all people, without adaptation or modification to the design of the product being used.  I thought his talk was very inspirational and I loved how he used the snowball going down a hill analogy to explain the effect of universal design, how if people continue to pursue it, it will eventually come to fruition.  And I believe that is how AT devices should be looked at.  They're not meant to be there to show others that the person has some form of disability, but are meant to be there to give the person functional capabilities.  It gives back their sense of independence, which is very important.

Test Positioning

It is important to use bony landmarks and proper positioning for measuring ROM because both allow for a better, more accurate reading when measuring range of motion.  Especially when using a goniometer, bony landmarks and proper positioning are important for reliable measurements for future treatment plans.  The purpose of the "test position" for MMT is to have the muscle placed for optimal muscle contraction for the most accurate MMT reading.  The relevance of the gravity eliminated position is for when clients cannot test above a 3 on the MMT scale.  By eliminating gravity, they eliminate resistance and give the client a better opportunity to measure their muscle strength without having to worry about gravity being in place. 

Analysis of a Motion During a Daily Activity

One of the most common actions, or movements, I do almost every day is straightening my hair.  The major joints used during the act of using my straightener are the shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints.  When I go to lift the straighter towards my head, my shoulder moves in both the sagittal and frontal planes, making my shoulder also move along both the frontal and sagittal axes.  My elbow moves mainly along the sagittal plane and frontal axis, while my wrist joint moves about the sagittal plane and frontal axis to twist the straightener along my hair.  In terms of arthrokinematics, the shoulder joint spins about the ball-and-socket mechanism, giving it the ability to move within all three planes.  When the elbow is flexed to lift the straightener up, the primary mover is the biceps brachii, which concentrically contracts when the elbow is flexed.