Caitlyns cruisin' through OT school!

Professor Flick's lecture on health promotion and awareness was very enlightening. I feel as though this area of health is under appreciated and a topic that all health professionals should be versed in to begin to spread awareness to their clients. A topic I found interesting was the multiple types of prevention and that OT can have a role in each type. Although OT is probably most common in tertiary prevention, I think that primary prevention is the most important type of prevention to teach clients and I plan to implement this into my treatments. Many people do not understand the consequences of their poor choices and as health professionals it is our responsibility to educate on the significance of choosing healthy behaviors to prevent chronic illnesses in the future. Discussing the topic of health literacy really struck a chord with me as this is not something that I have often thought about. After watching the videos in class of clients struggling to read and a...

Scapulohumeral rhythm is clinically important for optimal function of the shoulder. It provides coordinated movement patterns between the scapula and the humerus by permitting a good length-tension relationship. This is essential to promote motion in the shoulder and decrease active insufficiency. Another reason why the scapulothoracic rhythm is relevant is that it allows for the glenoid fossa to maintain proper position so that the humeral head can produce various movement. This coordinated movement is referred to as a 2:1 ratio and is necessary to avoid shoulder impingement. The scapula consists of three main movements that are described as upward rotation, posterior tilt, and lateral rotation. When there is a change in normal position, and one or all of these movements are affected, the scapulothoracic rhythm is disturbed. This will lead to a client having a decrease ROM and possible shoulder impairment. This will affect the client’s ability to participate in ...

Using bony landmarks and proper positioning is necessary when measuring ROM so that you are able to put joints at zero for a starting position. By identifying a bony landmark you are able to stabilize the proximal joint. To have a good testing position it is important to have the right amount of tension on the structure. The test position for MMT is the position in which the muscle is placed for optimal muscle contraction.   If a client can comfortably withstand pressure in the test position for 3-4 seconds than they have normal muscle strength. The gravity eliminated position is implemented when the client is unable to hold test position and breaks after a few seconds. If they are graded a 2 (poor) or less, MMT will be performed so that the structure being tested is parallel to the ground as to eliminate gravity. To avoid unnecessary compensation, it is important to provide stabilization to joint that is not being tested.