MMT

I have a Kinesiology practical exam on the 27th: 3 muscle palpations & 5 manual muscles tests.

We don't know which muscles we'll be asked to palpate or test, but they will be taken from a list we learned in lab.

1. serratus anterior
2. upper trapezius
3. middle trapezius
4. lower trapezius
5. rhomboids/levator scapulae
6. infraspinatus/teres minor (lateral rotators)
7. subscapularis (medial rotator)
8. teres major
9. pectoralis minor
10. pectoralis major (upper and lower)
11. latissimus dorsi
12. anterior deltoid
13. middle deltoid
14. posterior deltoid
15. supraspinatus
16. triceps brachii
17. biceps brachii
18. brachialis
19. coracobrachialis
20. brachioradialis
21. supinator
22. pronator quadratus (cannot be palpated)
23. pronator teres

My main concern is with the book Muscles: Testing and Function by Kendall. Our lab instructors made quite a few corrections and changes, including showing us some "old school" testing. It's hard to study from this book while wondering if this is the correct or the corrected test. I don't like the terms "lateral and medial rotation" in reference to external and internal rotation respectively. Not all of the pictures are clear nor do they all show optimal testing postions.

Oh well, what can I do. As far as studying, I'm going to learn 3 off the list each day. Let it sink in, become an inherent action, second-nature. As Greg Roth, my lab instructor said, "Don't study it, learn it." Too many people claimed that this was too much to study, but if you LEARN it, then what's to remember? Like riding a bike.

My plans? I'm going to carefully look at the muscle in the atlas, read palpations in Clinical Kinesiology, then focus on MMT. I'll take it one muscle at a time. I'll have one glass of red wine, let my muscle knowledge marinate, then start again the next day. It's a great plan. I'll tell you how it worked after the practical.

Kinesiology Lab

What's more fun that running around in tank tops grabbing fellow classmates and leaving fingerprints on their body? It's a bit weird at first. Do I have enough deodorant on? Am I sweating? T-shirt sweat stains? Enough perfume? Did I remember to shave? lol

We're venturing toward the axillary area tomorrow, palpating muscles in the shoulder region. Thankfully, I was assigned serratus anterior and supraspinatus to teach the class. Unfortunately, I don't know whether I'm palpating the trapezius or the supraspinatus. I'm following the instructions in Brunnstrom's Clinical Kinesiology. Still having some difficulty.

push

Palpating is not as easy as it looks. Clavicles are, though. But when asked to find the coracoid process of the scapula or the lesser tubercle of the humerus, things get a little tricky. To get to the coracoid process, you have to find a hollow below the scapula, dig your finger in the flesh, and move it around until you feel a piece of bone moving. My instructor had no problem hard-pressing the students. I was afraid of hurting my partner. "Is this hurting? Just tell me when I push to hard." Then I realized the length of my nails weren't conducive to satisfactory palpitating.

Note to self: cut nails before palpating. You get to push your fingers harder without leaving nail imprints.