S2W2: Snorkle.

Just for a change, I'm going to highlight all the fun things we did this week (and are looking forward to) starting with our PHTY254 lab on hip examination. When examining the hip we want to either clear it as a source of pain or document what specific movements bring on the pain. To clear the hip we perform tests, for example the 'quadrant test', 'SI joint provocation test', 'isometric tests' and through 'active physiological movement with overpressure'. The second PHTY254 MSK lab taught us special orthopaedic tests (joint integrity tests), neurodynamic tests and neurological examinations. These practical labs are fun. They are hands on but most importantly they are meaningful skills used by physiotherapists.

Umove was good fun this week. It was quieter in the first hour which meant we were able to play with a few toys in the lab! Toys included an air-splint (would be ideal for inflatable suit wrestling), a tilt-table (strap the client in and tip them from lying to standing position) and we also played darts (magnetic) and badminton! Good fun! I had a different client this week (yes we done some work too). The client was able to show me what he was able to do / had been doing, and I was able to introduce some new ideas for improving left quadriceps strength.

The pharm lab explored some of the foundations of pharmacokinetics; bioavailability, distribution of volume, half life, plotting semilog graphs and effects of multiple dosing. It was an interesting lab and I can certainly see how pharmacology serves an important role in physiotherapy care even though as physiotherapists we cannot prescribe drugs.

We've had some interesting quotes this week from lecturers across subjects. "The sciatic nerve is so long and strong that you could hang yourself with it" - anatomy. A little insensitive, but it's true that it could hold our body weight! "42 cups of regular Starbucks coffee will kill you" - pharmacology. This was with reference to caffeine and the therapeutic index... "You will not be able to commit suicide using a drug with a large therapeutic window, e.g. therapeutic index of 40". What a grim week! "Groin Clock" - PHTY254; does not refer to a time where your groin has certain urges!! Rather, it refers to angles of femur placement within the acetabulum - the quadrant clearance test of the hip.

Physio is a social professional course and as such, the social events are continuing this semester. Tip for surviving physio: get involved with social events. They usually involve alcohol, but that doesn't mean that you have to drink too. Hang out with your peers and enjoy a few laughs. These posts are aimed to motivate us to be involved whilst providing a humorous undertone. Semester two inter year (2nd and 3rd year) lab group BYO is on the 6th of August! Physio is very social!!

Cultural dinner on the 30th and Miss Physio Competition next Friday!! 

Here is a more detailed post about the Miss Physio comp!!

The physio ball will be held in August, so I'll tell you about this social event closer to the time. Wait... how do you spell physio?? Haha!!

Physio vs Physical Education girls rugby this Sunday!

Clinical debrief is all about sharing and learning from one another's experiences. It highlights the importance of presenting a case, which will be useful in seminars or in 3rd and 4th year when consulting our supervisor. Presenting cases is a skill that I will continue to work on... documenting all the relevant information during the clinical placement would certainly help me with that haha!! I heard about other conditions that my peers encountered on their placements such as TB, low back pain and Crohns disease. Very interesting!

The premier grade Dunedin Technical Football Club players, manager and coaching staff have given me a nickname. I have no idea how it came about, but I'll play along. It's very creative. "Snorkle". It's good to be a part of the team!

During the hydrotherapy session we put knowledge / principles about hydrostatics and hydrodynamics into practice. Did you know movement in water is 799 times slower in water than it is in air - due to skin friction drag and the resultant effect of the weight of water. I'm thinking that the nickname 'snorkle' would be ideal if I were good at holding my breath underwater - unfortunately although I am a good swimmer, my breath holding abilities are average. I'll figure the whole nickname thing out some time, haha!!

In other water related events going around social media, I completed the Ice Challenge for cancer awareness with my girlfriend (we were both nominated by her friend).  We completed the challenge on St Kilda beach at 6:30pm (which meant the sun had long set) and after brief rain showers throughout the day. The challenge itself involves having buckets of ice water (water with ice in them) poured over your body. To finish the challenge we decided to go for a dip in the ocean! It was a chilling experience!