Evidence of Learning #16

Muscle Grade Chart

For the evidence of learning #16, I learned about the muscle grade chart. The chart includes rankings from 1 to 5. Each ranking is a way to measure the success of each muscle type. The definitions for 1 through 3 are only applicable without the force of gravity. To eliminate gravity, we can turn the the patient on their side and take gravity out of the equation. Mastering this chart allows physical therapists to communicate with little words in their report to other physical therapists.

1  *This ranking indicates a positive normal tone of muscle to trace muscle contractions. No movement, but we can see the patients is trying to move. Without gravity.

2-  *This ranking indicates there is a slight movement. Maybe only 50% of the patient's maximum range of motion is produced. Without gravity.

2   *This ranking indicates only 75% of the patients maximum motion. Without gravity.

2+  *This ranking indicates the patient can almost move all the way though their maximum range of motion. Without gravity.

3-   *This ranking indicates the patient can move all the way though their range of motion but has difficulty maintaining it because it is painful or weak. With gravity.

3 *This ranking indicates the patient can move all the way through their range of motion without any problems. If something as light as a fly lands on he/she the patient will drop almost instantaneously.  With gravity.

3+   *This ranking indicates the patient can move all the way through their range of motion. It is able to maintain a one to three second contraction. With gravity.

4-   *This ranking indicates the patient can move all the way through their range of motion, however he/she can only hold it up for 3-5 seconds. With gravity.

4   *This ranking indicates the patient can move all the way through their range of motion without any problems. The patient can hold their body part against the PT, but the PT will win.

4+   *This ranking indicates the patient is very close to full health. The only thing he/she is lacking is endurance. This is less than 90% of the strength compared to the opposite extremity.  

5   *This ranking indicates he/she is cleared and the patient is ready to resume normal activities.

Evidence of Learning #15

On January 22, 2015 I met with Lance to discuss change of direction. There are two different workout type days at Michael Johnson Performance Center, “A-Day” and “B-Day”. On “A-days” the coaches primarily focus on sagittal movement with their athletes. A-Days are often referred to as linear movement days, meaning they focus on forward and upward movements.  On “B-Days” the coaches focus on change of direction and angular positioning. The two different days allow the athlete to practice not only power, but also how to transfer their power into multi-purpose movements.

In many agility drill, coaches tell their athletes to run in a straight line then “cut” a sharp corner to change direction (this movement usually happens in football.) Lance explained how every time an athlete runs in a straight line and decelerates (the cut) it increases the athletes time tremendously. Instead of having the athlete “cut” and make the sharp turn, the athlete will have a faster time if he/she runs at a round curve. The science behind it is actually quite simple.  If the athlete has a large amount of momentum while running straight, then he/she will be unable to maintain the amount of momentum while changing direction (deceleration.)  Instead of decreasing the momentum it is more redirecting it to create a curved path. He/she will then maintain the speed throughout the run, allowing for a faster time.

Some coaches argue that if the athlete runs on a curve instead of a sharp corner than this will cause the athlete to run slower. This thought is incorrect. The athlete is actually running the same distance, it is just on a curve instead of straight line and then stopping to make a sharp turn. Pretend the athlete is running a “figure eight” as demonstrated in both figure 1 and figure 2. Figure 1 shows a path for an athlete who has a very little amount of deceleration, because the athlete is running on a constant curve. In figure 2 however, there are two points where there are straight lines and then a change of direction. Running in a straight line is bad because once the athlete gets to the point where he/she needs to turn, he/she will need to decelerate to stop themselves from flying forward. In figure 1, the athlete never decelerates because he/she is running on a constant curve which allows him/her to pick up speed and never lose momentum.

Figure 1                                    Figure 2

Before this meeting, I underestimated the time it took to positively impact someones sports performance. This is something that really goes unnoticed. It is much more complex than it appears to the average person. There is a lot of time and energy that goes into action when designing each workout.

Evidence of Learning #14 (Lance Walker NSCA State Clinic)

For this assessment, I watched a video of my mentor, Lance Walker. Lance gave a one hour long speech at the NSCA state clinic about physical therapy. There were many things I noticed when I watched him give his speech. One of the most interesting things I gathered from his speech was his ability to hold the audiences attention. Through the use of writings, videos, humor, walking around, and asking questions he always managed to keep the audience completely engaged.

In his introduction, Lance explained how physical therapy is not a 9am-5pm job. Many physical therapists work 10 hour days purely because they love their work and want to be the best at what they do. He said it's not about the number of hours you work, but the quality of the work that matters. It is important to “squeeze more out of the hours you put in.” If you only put “seven hours of work in and you barely get anything out of it than that is just pathetic.” Through the use of humor he managed to make the audience laugh. Once the audience laughed their body language shifted to an upright position. I believe this is because once Lance made a joke they subconsciously wanted to learn more.

One of the exercises Lance used required the audience to write down a few goals. Once everyone had their goals written down he had the group discuss good and bad goals. He made sure each person was paying attention by moving around the room. I found his techniques very interesting and they are something I plan to incorporate in my upcoming speeches.

During his speech Lance also used many short videos. There were a few videos of Michael Johnson running. One of the videos was in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Lance asked the audience questions such as: Do you know who that is? How fast do you think he is going? How many gold medals did he win? He kept the audience engaged the whole time. Even though the video clip was approximately 15 seconds, he managed to expand on each clip for almost 5 minutes through his explanations and discussions. It has always been difficult for me to think of ideas in a long speech and I think adding videos will allow me to add quality to my speech.

I really enjoyed watching Lance's presentation. I learned so many tips about public speaking that I will use in my presentations.

Research Assessment #6

Topic: Dry Needling

Date: November 19th , 2014

Source:

Improve Function and Reduce Pain. Physical Therapy First » Dry Needling. N.p., n.d. Web. Nov.-Dec. 2014. <http://www.physicaltherapyfirst.com/services/dryneedling/>.

Analysis:

In order to become a successful physical therapist, I must understand the specific techniques and different exercises affiliated with physical therapy. One of the oldest most effective treatments used in PT is dry needling. This is a technique used to release trigger point muscles that have been enlarged due to swelling. The physical therapist must insert a needle which decreases tension in the trigger point muscle and allows the patient to resume normal activities at a faster, more comfortable speed. Once the swelling has gone down the physical therapist is then able to determine if there were other misalignments in the body which also contributed to the swelling.  Reducing swelling always allows for a better view of the root cause or other possible injuries.

People with various injuries benefit from dry needling.  Common injuries dry needling benefits include “acute/chronic injuries, headaches, neck and back pain, tendinitis, muscle spasms.”  Dry needling can be used when there is inflammation or irritation in the area. One of the most common ways inflammation occurs in the body is when there is subluxation of a bone. To sublux a bone is to have the bone partially come out of place, but not completely. The joint is stretched, but not dislocated.  It is dangerous to subluxate a bone because when it pops back into place, the muscles and tendons attached risk being snag or chipped. There have been many studies proving how dry needing helps treat “post-surgical pain, post-traumatic injuries, motor vehicle accidents, work related injuries, and chronic pain conditions” as well as help the body return to its natural equilibrium.

In order to conduct a dry needling treatment, the physical therapist must have a dry needling certificate and a license. Dry needling and acupuncture are very similar. Acupuncture is based on Chinese medicine and is based along the lines of the meridian system. Dry needling, however, is based on Western Neuroanatomy and is based more on the musculoskeletal and nervous system. In dry needling, the neurotransmitters in the central nervous system are activated “which contribute to a systemic pain inhibiting effect” the neurotransmitters then respond which cause a therapeutic benefit to other areas of the body.  Physical therapists believe dry needling is more successful than acupuncture because they are less restricted in the areas they work as with the meridian system.

I think dry needling is one of the coolest things physical therapists can do. After reading this article my excitement has been enhanced to start in the physical therapy profession. I expected PT to be very specific in how to treat the body and help it return to normal function.  I didn't know PT had a invasive option.  The skill and knowledge needed to use the dry needle option is very impressive.  I am anxious to learn even more about all the different areas of physical therapy.

Research Assessment #5

Topic: Body Symmetry

Date: November 3rd, 2014

Source:

Cronin, Keith J. "Physical Therapy for the Injured Athlete: Why Body Symmetry Is So Important." MomsTeam. Moms Team, n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2014. http://www.momsteam.com/team-experts/physical-therapy-injured-athlete-body-symmetry

Analysis:

Body symmetry is very important for the proper function of the human body.  There are many common body imbalances that can act as major precursors to an injury. The article “Physical Therapy for the Injured Athlete: Why Body Symmetry Is So Important” written by Keith Cronin explains how minor common injuries create major problems if not treated in the early stages. After reading the article, I learned how improper shoulder rotation and hip alignment are the most common minor injuries and how they progress into massive problems.

Irregular shoulder rotation is very common for athletes that constantly perform the typical throwing-overhead motion. According to Cronin’s article, these “motions are very common for pitchers” and volleyball players. The overhead motion causes the posterior (back) muscles to tighten and the anterior (front) muscles loosen. This unbalanced scenario is what can lead to  injuries. Since the anterior muscles are more loose than the posterior muscle the imbalance always allows the possibility of over stretching or re injury.  The rotator cuff and labrum typically have the biggest effect from overstretching in the rotational movements of the shoulder. This is why trainers always tell athletes to stretch both the front and the back of their shoulder before and after competition.  Equal stretching prevents tendons and muscles from becoming too tight in athletic competition.

Hip alignment is arguably the most important thing to have to maintain in a healthy human body. When hips are not aligned properly, it leads to pain and injuries in the “lower back, hip, knee, and ankle.” The hips effect everything in the human body. They affect the alignment of your spine which affects all the other joints in the body. Even a minor shift of the hips, (forward, backward or shifted to the side) can potentially cause a series of orthopedic problems.

After reading this article, I now better understand how physical therapists work to help their clients.  Pre-therapy prevention exercises are as important as treating injuries that have already occurred.  I have concluded that physical therapy is the perfect job for me because I really enjoy learning about the inner workings of the human body and meeting new people . I am very excited to go through physical therapy school and start this rewarding journey to help people.

Research Assessment #4

Topic: Basics of Physical Therapy

Date: October 19th, 2014

Source:

"Physical Therapist." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook, n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2014. <http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physical-therapists.htm>.

Analysis:

I have decided to change my field of study from chiropractic medicine to physical therapy. I have been given a phenomenal opportunity to intern at the well known Michael Johnson Performance center. Throughout my previous research on chiropractic medicine, I realized the job of physical therapist are relatively similar to chiropractors. After reading the article “Physical Therapist” by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it broadened my knowledge on the specific details of physical therapy.

One of the most important things physical therapist work on is muscle rehabilitation. They spend a lot of time on “their feet actively working with patients”, which is challenging because their office spaces are typically very large. Having a large office space is beneficial because it allows multiple clients to work on many exercises simultaneously without feeling suffocated or inhibit their range of motion. The amount of time physical therapists spend on their feet is significant so it is very important to make sure they are physically fit. The large space also benefits the therapist because it gives them a sense of openness and allows them to have more opportunities to monitor all the clients.

        In the next 10 years the career outlook for physical therapy is “projected to increase by 36%”, which is more than any other health diagnosing and treating practitioners. As the need for physical therapist increase, the need for advanced information and technology increases as well. Physical Therapists use multiple modalities to care for their patients. One of the largest growing muscle rehabilitation techniques is adhesive electrodes which are commonly found in physical therapy offices. These electrodes send electrical stimulations to tighten the specific muscle for 2-5 seconds then help relax it. It is important to over tense a muscle that are sore so they are forced to relax.

After reading this article, I found physical therapy to be the perfect job for me. I would like to open an office specifically for athletes who will be able to come in and immediately get adjusted, workout, and finally get adjusted again before they leave. I am excited to start this career path and eager to learn more.

There are many causes for common injuries. It is often very difficult to determine the exact injury because there is always a possibility of pre-existing causes such as hidden stress fractures. In order to successfully diagnose an injury as a physical therapist, you must earn a doctoral or professional degree. Many colleges offer a “pre-physical therapy” degree. This degree is very helpful for applying to physical therapy school.

In Texas, physical therapists need to have a doctor’s referral to work on patients. If the patient comes to the PT first, they will not be able to treat the client until they have seen a physician. However, this rule is different for every state. In some states, clients are allowed to go straight to a PT office and the physical therapist can start working on the client immediately.

Research Assessment #3

Topic: Massage Therapists

Date: October 17th, 2014

Source:

Burkhart, Lori A. "Massage Therapy and Chiropractic." ACA -. American Chiropractic Association, Mar. 2014. Web. 15 Oct. 2014. <http://www.acatoday.org/content_css.cfm?CID=5426>.

Analysis:

There are many important components that lead up to a successful chiropractic practice.  There are massage therapists, secretaries, and occasionally there is a physical therapist who works in the same office as the chiropractor. The article “Massage Therapy and Chiropractic” written by Lori A. Burkhart for the American Chiropractic Association explains the importance of the massage therapist in a chiropractic office. Business decisions, therapeutic benefits, and tips for hiring a massage therapist are things chiropractors need to consider before bringing one into the office.

Bringing a massage therapist into a chiropractic office only adds to the full effect of the office which significantly benefits the patients overall experience.  Lori A. Burkhart believes that the right type of massage therapy can have a physiological impact on a patient’s overall health. Having someone massage the muscles in the body is often looked as simply a relaxing element, but in reality it does much more. Burkhart has a desire for people to understand that is more than the superficial stereotypes of massage therapy, which it is “tied directly to musculoskeletal health, and some of it is tied to stress management.”

In the next 10 years, the baby boomers of the 1950’s are projected to be between 70 and 80 years old. With old people aging there is a larger margin for people who will need to be physically helped. This article supports the fact that “massage therapy is growing” and will be in the highest demand it has ever been in within the next decade.

For people who work exclusively at massage locations, the service they provide is usually much more expensive than the exact same service at a chiropractic office. In chiropractic offices a massage is used to enhance the tension-release of the musculoskeletal system that could possibly be interfering with the alignment of the skeleton. Massage therapists who are “clinically oriented and want to learn” often have a much higher success rate than those who do not work with a doctor.

I have decided that when I own my own practice, I will have an on staff massage therapist who will work with my patients. I feel that massage therapy will help my business significantly and will help bring back patients.

Research Assessment #2

How To Start A Chiropractic Practice

September 22nd, 2014

Source:

"So You Want to Be Your Own Boss..." Entrepreneur. Starting a Buisness, n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2014. <http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/207488>

Analysis:

In order to become a successful chiropractor, I must understand the entrepreneurial aspect of what it takes to start and own a business. Being a doctor requires a strong background of financial knowledge as well.  In the article, “So You Want To Be Your Own Boss”, there are eight informative steps to take when starting a business.  These steps are a guide to helping to start a strong foundation on which a good business can be built.

While reading this article I learned, “A [business] plan does not need to be more than one page. As you write down your goals, strategies and action steps, your business becomes real.”  This means to keep your goals simple and clear. In the business world, everything is about time and money.  There is no time for nonsense or to get distracted off on a tangent.  To help keep me focused,  I will create a short list of long term and short term goals.  Mentioning how “the business becomes real”,  it made me think back to something I learned in volleyball a few years ago. Visualization is reality. When you see something over and over in your head it has a strong effect on a positive outcome. Therefore creating these goals and looking over them on a consistent basis will help me mentally prepare to make decisions that work towards those goals.  

Using the “most effective online tools (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn) “can be fantastic tools to ensure publicity of my business. I never thought how powerful social media can be in promoting a business.  After completing chiropractic college, the first things I will do after securing a facility is to put my name and company all over social media.  In ISM we have created a blog specifically for us to have as a record of our progress and to measure how far we have come. Prior to this year, blogs were completely unfamiliar to me. With the constant updates and formatting tips we learn in class, I feel more confident in my ability to manipulate this type of technology.

After reading this article, I am even more excited for what the future holds. I learned while completing my undergrad in kinesiology, I would benefit by minoring in business. I have been a fan of taking business classes because I enjoy understanding the inner workings of how to make money.  The extra courses I will need to take in order to minor in business will require some more time in college at an extra cost, but I am excited to figure out how to overcome this challenge and achieve my goal.

Research Assessment #1

Topic: Basics of Chiropractic Medicine

Date: September 15th, 2014

Source:

"Chiropractors: Occupational Outlook Handbook 2014-2015 Edition." U.S. Department of Labor. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2014./ <http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/chiropractors.htm#tab-2>.

Analysis:

In order to become a successful chiropractor, I must understand the basics of a chiropractor's job. The article written by the “Bureau of Labor Statistics” on chiropractic medicine has recently brought many meaningful points to my attention. Career outlook, work environment, and classes to enroll in for Chiropractic College are all very important components but often get overlooked.

The career outlook of a chiropractor for the years spanning 2012-2022 is 15% higher than it was for previous generations. The “baby boomers” in 10 years are projected to be between the ages of 65-75 years old. Typically with old age comes weak bone structure and weak muscle fibers. Weak bone structure and muscle fibers create a body that is very prone to injury.  The older the baby boomer generation becomes the greater the need for healers will be including chiropractors, physical therapist, and exercise physiologists.

It is very important to have a welcoming environment to ensure customer loyalty. An engaging office will enhance sales, create consistent customers, promote loyalty, and increase word-of-mouth advertising. Ultimately, if your clients are satisfied and feel welcome in addition to seeing results, then business will grow.  Chiropractors are typically on their feet for “long periods [while] examining and caring for patients” states The Bureau of Labor Statistics. Having a job which requires a lot of time on my feet, I will need to plan my uniform accordingly.  Loose fitting slacks, maybe scrubs, and shoes that offer a lot of support will be necessary.  Hush Puppies or Equalizers shoes would be smart choice for a professional look, and also offer the comfort and support.

While most chiropractic students complete their doctor of chiropractic (D.C) many of the students concentrate on a variety of things such as “sports, neurology, orthopedics, pediatrics, or nutrition” to help give their practice a specific personality. I think this is a fantastic way to set myself apart from other chiropractors. I love the balance between the body and mind and have decided while in chiropractic college I will also be taking classes to study neurology and hypnosis. I feel that understanding how the brain works will directly correlate with how the body works.

After reading this article I realize that this is the perfect job for me. I am very excited to start my journey of chiropractic medicine. The journey might be more arduous than I originally planned because I did not anticipate taking neurology courses while in school. Who knows, maybe taking classes about the mind will open other doors. Whatever happens, I am more than excited to propel into this journey of learning about how the human body works and how to directly impact its components.

Original Work Speech

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ8OmOqPiV0

Dry Needling/ Cupping

Weekly Report #22

February 16th- February 23rd

          This week I finally figured out what I will be doing for my final product.  I decided to create an app. I have a long term plan to create a really complex application. However, given the amount of time to complete this project, approximately 3 months, it is unrealistic to accomplish. The huge application is composed of 3 parts:  personal training, weights, and nutrition. For my final product, I will create one section of the huge application.  The section I have chosen to create is personal training. I have drawn out how I want the app to look. Unfortunately, I do not have an technology or programming background.  I have asked Thomas Wheeler, a computer science genius who is also a senior at Liberty to help with with the technical part of the app.

          Also this week I went to a career fair at the American Airlines Center. I met a lot of professional sports team representatives including the Dallas Stars and the Texas Rangers. This event reminded me of our business symposium, however, at our business symposium I was competing with all the ISM high school students and at this event I was the youngest person in the pool of candidates. Everyone was a professional at interviews, which was intimidating, but once I introduced myself to the first candidate my nerves were gone and I was much more confident. I learned a lot while watching the other people talk to sport team representatives such as how to come across confident, laugh and smile appropriately, and how to keep the conversation going even when someone wants to move onto the next person. Overall, the event was success and a huge opportunity for me to attend. 
-I spend approximately 6 Hours on ISM work this week.

Weekly Report #21

February 9th- February 16th
         I spent this past week practicing and perfecting my speech. I am currently in the process of uploading it to youtube. Some of the things I thought I improved on from my last speech are listed below.

Personal Critiques for speech--

          1. I feel like I could have done a better job with my flow. There were a couple of times when I  spoke too fast and there were times when I spoke too slow.
         2.  I thought my movement throughout the presentation was good. One critique, I caught myself standing in front of the slides. It was difficult to find a balance between stopping and moving. Unfortunately, when I was moving back and forth I found myself pacing too much.
         3. I feel like I did a much better job in preparing for my speech. In my previous speeches, I did not rehearse enough, but in this speech I practiced at least 20 times.

          Outside of the speech, I worked on planning for my final product. Lance has been out of town for a few weeks, and I was unable to plan my product with him. I have compiled a list of 25 product ideas. Lance and I will discuss which product is the best and I'll get his advice on how to write it up.  

-I spend approximately 20 Hours on ISM work this week.

Weekly Report #20

February 1st- February 8th

This past week Mr. Wysong uploaded the link for the available time slots for our speeches. I plan to give my 20 minute speech on Wednesday, February 11th. Over the weekend, I spent a lot of time practicing my speech. There are over 20 slides and a total of 8 different subjects. The subject I spend the most time on is my original work. The percentages for our speech should be 50% about original work, 25% about experiences, and the last 25% should be a composition of the introduction, conclusion, and my smart goals. At first when Mr. Wysong told us we had to share with the class our smart goals, I was really uncomfortable with the idea because they are personal. I decided to change my goals a little bit to fit in the presentation scheme.  

            This past weekend I also brainstormed Final Product ideas. I want to do something that could better my field of study. Maybe an organized day teaching elementary school children about physical therapy. Maybe I could create a cool piece of equipment. Or maybe I could use the Nike research lab located in the Michael Johnson Performance Center to analyze professional athletes while they run and jump. I am still in the brainstorming phase, but I know I need to kick it into gear.

-I spent approximately 12 Hours on ISM work this week

Weekly Report #19

January 26th- February 2nd


           On Friday our original work was due. After writing 18 pages including text and graphics, I am happy to report my time working on the original work has concluded.
           This week I spent a lot of time learning how to properly execute manual therapy techniques. I am beginning to learn how to use the tools and materials to successfully help an injured athlete return to his/ her normal routines.
             Since the original work is turned in, I am now required to present a 20 minute speech explaining my process and outcome. With that being said, the students have not signed up for a specific time slot to present. I plan to have a outline ready by Monday morning so I am prepared if Mr. Wysong calls me up to present. In the upcoming speech, I plan to engage the audience by asking them questions. In my last speech, which were only 10 minutes long, I felt as if the audience was losing interest as I spoke. In order the do a great job at Final Presentation Night, I need to focus on the entertaining and engaging aspect of my speeches.

- I spent approximately 7 hours on ISM work this week.