Liz Burton MOT/S

As future occupational therapy practitioners, it is extremely important to begin familiarizing and challenging ourselves through the development of PDE goals. When choosing my goals, I tried to focus on areas I know I am weaker in and have a strong desire in improving. For example, in larger groups, such as class lectures, I tend to be more reserved or nervous compared to if I were in a small group of just a few students. Therefore, for my first goal, I would like to emphasize on class participation. My goal will state: I will demonstrate increased engagement by contributing to class conversation at least once during lecture, as well as ask a question to in order to increase overall understanding of the presented material. Lastly, due to the sometimes overwhelming and chaotic schedule of balancing school and personal life, volunteer work and community engagement can often fall on the back burner. To keep myself productive in my community, I will focus on planning and prioritizing v...

Implicit bias is the way we see or stereotype groups of people without even realizing. Implicit bias is a result of years of being taught to look at things or people in a certain way. After time, these ideas become so embedded into our thought process, we don't stop to think twice about the situation or person as an individual. As occupational therapists, we have a responsibility to look at our clients holistically. If we were to go into an evaluation with our own preconceived notions, we would miss out on the beauty of what makes our client unique and motivated. Most importantly, as (future) practitioners, we may not hear or understand the actual needs or beliefs of our client. So, how do we catch ourselves in implicit bias? A few ways we can examine and take initiative against our own bias is by active listening. Taking time to hear a client and truly work towards understanding their point of view will help in decreasing the formation of our own. With active listening, there ...

Simultaneous movement between the scapula and humerus is referred to as Scapulohumeral Rhythm. The shoulder has three degrees of movement, 1 degree (60 degrees) in the ST joint and two degrees (120 degrees) in the GH joint. Motion must be distributed evenly between the two joints in order to achieve full range of motion. Having the two joints working together, limits the stress put on a singular joint. It is important for the two joints to be congruent with one another so the two structures may move synchronously. The scapula plays a huge role in stabilizing the GH joints in order to achieve total motion. Each joint contributes to the total amount of movement that may take place at the shoulder, therefore, dysfunction at one will result in decrease of ROM due to the increase risk of impingement, pain, and overall function. Scapulohumeral Rhythm ensures the healthy length-tension relationships of the two structures while moving together and acting against force.

Using bony landmarks and proper positioning is necessary when measuring a client's ROM. Here are 5 reason why: Bony landmarks and positioning are important in order to make sure you are getting a clear, appropriate, and accurate measurement that could be replicated by another therapist if they had to step in to treat your client. Using proper bony landmarks is our main guide when measuring ROM. Being able to identify and use bony landmarks ensures we are measuring the correct body structure. Test positions that can help the therapist get a clear measurement include putting your client in a gravity eliminating position. This position takes away resistance for an individual that does not have the strength to move against gravity on their own. Test positions also help the client use their strength safely and comfortably, while also using the appropriate muscles during the examination and measurement process. Lastly, test positions can help eliminate compensation. Sometimes,...

Every morning I pack my backpack for school. When I reach my arm, forearm, and hand out to grab my materials, I am starting in a full extension position in a sagittal plane. After I have grabbed my materials, my fingers are in a flexed position also occurring in the sagittal plane, around a frontal axis. My arm then moves into flexion as the materials get to my bag. The Osteokinematics of the arm and fingers include extension to flexion, specifically when the arm is extended and the fingers are moving into flexion with the arm then moving into flexion during an Open Kinematic Chain. In regards to Arthrokinematics and the Convex/Cocave Rule, the moving surface, such as the Ulna, is concave and is moving closer to the Humerus, which is Convex. The Concave surface is rolling and gliding in the same direction in order to move the two closer together. The prime movers for the arm while moving into flexion in order to bring the materials to the bag would be the coracobrachialis, biceps brach...

During the video lecture presented by Professor Jami Flick, I learned about the three different types of interventions that lower the risk for health concerns. The first type, Primary Intervention, is taking action BEFORE an illness or health concern occurs. Next, there is Secondary Intervention which encompasses early detection and preventing a pre-existing health concern from worsening. Finally, there is Tertiary Intervention which limits an ongoing injury or illness from worsening throughout the long term effects. I believe that understanding the different types of intervention really shines light to our many, and ever evolving roles as (future) OT Practitioners. We get the privilege and opportunity to be with individuals through numerous stages of their overall heath journey. In addition, OT's play a huge role in the overall health promotion of their clients and the community in which they are placed. Therefore, it is important to be extremely aware of the community and popul...