Friday, January 27, 2012

All Hands on Deck


This semester we have started to learn manual muscle testing (MMT) and how to take range of motion (ROM) with a tape measure and a goniometer. It is really exciting to start to get hands on. So far we have only done the neck for range of motion, but we have done the trunk and neck for MMT. It is amazing how important practice is. I was practicing with friends after class today, and it was amazing how many different times we had to rearrange our bodies to be able to take the measurements. An experienced practitioner would know exactly how to position themselves, and the right order to do all the testing, so that the impact on the client was minimal. Book learning is only going to get you so far on these skills.

Today in mental health we formed four different groups for different projects. Group work is a big part of occupational therapy school. Group selection is a little different in the second semester. People have friends that they like to work with, other people want to work with people they do not hang out with, and sometimes people who like to get work done early seek the others who like to get work done early. Let's hope all these projects run smoothly.

The other big happening this week is we got to meet the family that is building the house that we are help designing. I am assigned to work on the bedroom for a 15 year old boy with Duchene Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). I was a little disappointed because he spends most of his time in the common areas currently, but I know we are going to make his room so awesome that he is going to spend all his time there. I have a to-do list that is a mile long, so I should get a start on that. 

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