the rOad less Traveled

     When I think of advertisements that stick with me, there is a specific one that comes to mind: American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). I used to see this commercial everyday when I watched TV and it would always make want to hold on extra tight to my dogs. I always remember the iconic song by Sarah McLachlan, "In the Arms of an Angel" and I immediately knew what was playing on my screen. Next thing I know, I'm watching haunting images of puppies and kittens caged in horrendous conditions and my heart just melts for them. It was always so heartbreaking to imagine how terrified these defenseless animals must be and I just couldn't help but wonder what kind of a person would do this to an animal.      Recently I have been studying neurobiology and learning about what aspects of out human nervous system are involved in specific responses to things. While watching this commercial, I know I always felt so much emotion, whether it w...

 

     In the therapeutic world, assistive devices are often used to aid clients in their occupational performance and participation. So what are assistive devices? Canes, crutches and walkers are prime examples and they are made or adapted to assist a person in order to perform a specific task. These devices can be instrumental in helping a client regain independence. What is also instrumental is making sure that these devices are properly fitted to your client. An inaccurately fitted device can not only be ineffective, but it can actually strain a client's muscle or ligament and cause additional injuries. It can also cause instability and affect a client's gait which can cause more pain.        Some common assistive devices include canes, axillary crutches, Lofstrand crutches, platform walker, and rolling walker. I will now explain how to properly fit each device.  - Canes : the client's elbow should be relaxed and flexed 20-30 degrees and the han...

 

     Mobility is the ability to get from position to another and a person can face many challenges if they lose that ability to move. The order for restoring confidence in mobility is listed in a hierarchy and is listed from least mobile (1) to most mobile (9): 1. Bed mobility 2. Mat Transfer 3. Wheelchair transfer 4. Bed transfer 5. Functional ambulation for ADL 6. Toilet and Tub transfer 7. Car transfer 8. Functional Ambulation for community mobility 9. Community mobility and driving     This order is what I expected and what I have seen while volunteering and shadowing multiple different occupational therapists in the past. This order can help increase a client's confidence while also increasing strength and mobility. By starting with the basics, such as getting out of bed and in a wheelchair, clients can work their way up to eventually getting the toilet and tub as well as the car. As they master each level, they will gain the confidence to move on to the ne...

     I have attached 3 pictures to this post. The first one is of my friend, Andee, holding a snowboard in Colorado. The second picture is of my other friend, Michaela, sitting on a horse while we were riding in Zion National Park. The final picture is of my little brother, Jack, holding my puppy.       In this post, I will focus on the third picture of my brother sitting on a hammock, holding my puppy the day we got it. While sitting on the hammock, Jack’s elbows are flexed, and his pelvis is at an anterior tilt as it rolls superiorly over the head of the femur. He has a slight flexion of his spine in the sagittal plane and coronal axis. He has a slight cervical curve to the right, a slight thoracic curve to right and a normal curve. His scapulae are protracted at the scapulothoracic joints and his head has a little forward tilt with a slight rotation to the left. His femurs are flexed with a slight internal rotation.       This po...