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      The shoulder joint has the greatest range of motion in the human body. It is described as a ball and socket synovial joint. Due to its wide range of mobility, this joint lacks in stability. Both the scapula and humerus work to provide motion at this joint. The rule for scapulohumeral rhythm is as follows: for every 3 degrees of shoulder motion, approximately 1 degree occurs at the scapulothoracic (ST) joint and two degrees occurs at the glenohumeral (GH) joint. Scapulohumeral rhythm is important because it decreases the amount of sheer forces at the shoulder joint, and it allows for healthy length-tension relationships. Damage to either one of these areas greatly affects range of motion at the shoulder.      Understanding scapulohumeral rhythm increases our understanding of range of motion. For example, during shoulder flexion, the GH joint contributes approximately 100-120 degrees (2/3 of a normal 0-180 range). Additionally, the ST joint contributes ...

     When conducting any form of test or measurement, it is important to establish standards and protocols. These guidelines help increase the validity and reliability of the tests. Validity determines the accuracy of your data, while reliability determines the consistency. In order to ensure accurate and consistent measurements, it is important to use the same test positioning every time tests are performed.       Test positioning applies to the position of the client and the therapist during range of motion and manual muscle testing. For example, it matters whether the client is sitting or lying down, whether their elbows are bent or flexed, whether their palms are facing up or down, etc. These considerations along with many others all influence the data collected. During testing, therapists also use bony landmarks to ensure proper positioning. Bony landmarks are used because they are normally found in the same spot from person to person. For example...

      Occupational Therapy is a growing profession. There are many aspects involved, and treatment includes a wide variety of techniques. Therefore, it is without surprise many people question what OT is and how it works. A simple definition from Cabarrus College of Health Sciences sates OT practitioners "help people of all ages participate in the things they want and need to do." Along with the question of "what is OT?", I am often asked "what's the difference between OT and PT?" Although we often work collaboratively, we do not perform the same job. Many people, including medical professionals and CEOs, do not know the difference between OT and PT. When faced with this question, I try to keep my response as simple and concise as possible. It typically looks something like this: physical therapy focuses on strength and mobility, while occupational therapy focuses on performance and engagement in activities that are meaningful to the client. OT uses a ...

 My morning routine almost always includes a cup of coffee- also known as liquid motivation. After filling the mug and stirring in vanilla almond milk creamer, I sip on the coffee as I prepare for the rest of my day. After placing my fingers around the handle of my mug, my elbow flexes and extends as I move the mug to and from my mouth. My elbow is flexed as i bring the coffee toward my mouth, and it extends as I return the mug onto the table. This motion of the elbow takes place in the sagittal plane about a frontal axis. The Osteokinematics can be described as flexion and extension in an open kinematic chain. The concave surface of the proximal ulna rolls and glides anteriorly on the convex surface of the distal humerus. The prime mover during this action is the brachioradialis which contracts concentrically during elbow flexion when the forearm is in a neutral position. 

 

    Have you ever noticed yourself biting your nails or the end of a pencil when you feel nervous? Or have you ever noticed yourself tapping your foot and wonder how long you've been doing so? Truth be told, we all participate in compensatory stimulations. These actions may help us focus, mask large emotions, or they may be simple habits we perform automatically. Nevertheless, these actions are completely normal. They become diagnosable once they interfere with our ability to perform necessary functions.      For many people diagnosed with a hyperactivity disorder, fidgeting may be caused by an underlying sensory disorder. Individuals with these diagnoses are faced with large emotions and a wide-variety of stimulations on a daily basis. As a spectator, one may view these behaviors as "acting out." In a podcast titled "Can Occupational Therapy Help With ADHD," Stephanie Lancaster compared dealing with stressors to an active car engine. If the engine receives too ...

      As Occupational Therapists, our goal is to help people participate in the activities that are meaningful to them. The beauty of this is the activities that are meaningful to me, may not be important to someone else. There are many factors that determine which activities are important to someone, and culture is one of the most influential.      Culture includes the values, beliefs, attitudes, and norms of a group of people (Hammell, 2013). We often associate culture with groups regarding race and religion, but they expand far beyond these assumptions. For example, people within the same sports team share a culture. Schools, businesses, and other social groups are all examples of different cultures, and people typically belong to more than one.       In order to determine one's culture, you must first determine their roles. According to the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework, roles "define who a person, group, or population beli...