What Is Kinesiology?

By: JT Lenga 


Hello readers! On Monday, I was brainstorming ideas for this weeks post, when I realized our blog is about kinesiology.  Yet, we don't actually have a post about what kinesiology is. So immediately, I got to work on the post. I gathered information from the MSU website, Americankinesiology.org and a few other resources to give to you the information we carelessly overlooked. 

First of all, kinesiology is the study of human and non-human body movement. The intellectual focus of kinesiology is movement or physical activity. Physical activity can take the form of exercising, or activities associated with daily living, work, sports, dance, etc. Kinesiology has certain applications to human health.  These include, biomechanics, conditioning, sport/exercise psychology, rehabilitation, and exercise. 

Kinesiology is a field of study offered at many universities all over the country. These universities include Columbia University, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Iowa State University, etc. Kinesiology programs have a majority of their coursework focused on anatomy, physiology, nutrition, exercise, and others. Those looking to pursue a degree in this field should have a love for exercising, the human body, and for bettering yourself and others through improved health habits. If not, you may not be as successful in your studies.

A degree in kinesiology can lead to many exciting career opportunities. Some of these opportunities include coaching, personal training, sports administration, sports reporter, exercise physiology, etc. If you decide to continue your studies into graduate school careers such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical doctor, physician assistant, registered nurse, and many others will all become available after completion of your studies. 

I did not start to consider studying kinesiology until the end of my senior year of high school. I was doing research on physical therapy when I found that kinesiology was one of the recommended degree programs for this field of work. I had never heard of kinesiology before, so naturally I decided to do some research on the subject. After completing my research, kinesiology seemed like a great fit for me. I am the kind of person who loves interacting with others, exercising, and learning about the human body. Once I got to MSU for my orientation, the first thing I did was change my major from human biology to kinesiology. I love the program so far.  It's really cool being able to relate what I love to do to my studies.

I hope that I have left you all with a good understanding of kinesiology. Below I have provided a video to add to what I said. 

References 

“Careers in Kinesiology.” American Kinesiology Association, AKA, 11 Mar. 2010, http://www.americankinesiology.org/careers-in-kinesiology/careers-in-kinesiology/careers-in-kinesiology. Accessed 24 Feb. 2017.

“Department of Kinesiology - College of Education - Michigan State University.” Michigan State University College of Education Kinesiology Department, 2012, http://education.msu.edu/kin/. Accessed 24 Feb. 2017.

Ennis, Catherine. “Kinesiology: The Discipline and Related Professions.” National Academy of Kinesiology, NAK, 11 May 2010, http://www.nationalacademyofkinesiology.org/what-is-kinesiology. Accessed 24 Feb. 2017.

http://www.massagetoday.com/content/images/lowe1_37873_1_1_1696.jpg. Accessed 24 Feb. 2017.

   

The Occupational Therapist's Role in Sleep

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Prompt 8: Hands On

By: Nick Izzo

One class you have to take as a Kinesiology major is KIN 125 which is First Aid and Personal Safety. So far in this class we have talked a lot about what to do in situations when someone may need rescue breaths or cardiopulmonary resuscitation also known as CPR. Both of these are needed in different situations and sometimes done together. Rescue breaths are given when someone is unconscious, isn’t breathing but does have a pulse. These breaths get oxygen into the body hopefully triggering the victim to begin breathing again. A rescue breath is given every four seconds and the breath should last one second. This is done for two minutes and then you reassess the victim to see if they still hold that pulse. Sometimes in these situations a victim can lose their pulse and also not be breathing. This is when CPR comes in. Compressions on the chest are given to the victim to basically play the job of the heart and pump blood to the entire body. Now, the victim also isn’t breathing so rescue breaths are still needed. Every 30 compressions the person giving CPR should give two rescue breaths. On paper all of this seems pretty simple right? Well even on a dummy this is a tough thing to do. In class we had a lab practical which tested our abilities. Everything has to be done perfect because in a real life situation if you miss a step that could cost someone their life or it could be a liability for yourself. During the practical, real life as well, you have to remember to stay calm when coming up on the scene. It’s also very important to let anyone around know that you are CPR certified. Also, you need to take control of the situation and tell someone to call for an ambulance and an AED, automated external defibrillator. This machine attempts to get the heart back to a normal beating rhythm. While your requests are met is when you do the CPR. After the AED arrives and if the ambulance hasn’t arrived yet, you use that. Once the ambulance arrives you leave the work to the higher trained individuals.

This is stressful even in a testing situation. Having to remember the order of things to be done, how to do each individual thing and also being confident in your abilities is not easy when a human’s life is at stake. Going through the PowerPoints in class makes you think you could jump right into a real life situation. That’s just not true. After experiencing a hands on situation, it made me, and probably most people in the class, realize it gets more difficult when your knowledge is put to the test.  

Here's a situation a little less stressful that we all know and love:

References:

D2L - Michigan State University. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2017.

Ustheoffice. "First Aid Fail // The Office US." YouTube. YouTube, 08 May 2015. Web. 21 Feb. 2017.

A Career In Personal Training

By: JT Lenga


Hello readers! A couple of weeks ago, I posted a piece called Recognizing the Truth Behind Personal Training. This week, I thought I would discuss the actual process behind becoming a personal trainer for those aspiring a career in this field. Over the past week, I did some research online and watched a couple of videos in order to provide you with the information to take your first step as a trainer.

To start, I will remind you of what a personal trainer is. A personal trainer is someone with a passion for exercise and being healthy. It's a job that requires heart, motivation, and a love for fitness. Personal trainers are those with the knowledge necessary to design a safe and effective exercise program for the sole purpose of reaching fitness goals.

The basic requirements of becoming a personal trainer are that you must be the age of 18 or older, you must have completed high school or the equivalent, you are certified in CPR and AED, and you have some form of identification. These are the minimum requirements to become a trainer. You can however, further your education through college to increase your knowledge and become a more effective trainer. A degree in Kinesiology or athletic training are two examples of degrees that can help progress yourself as a trainer.

All trainers must pass a certification exam validated by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. There are a variety of ways you can prepare for this examination: self preparation, Certified Personal Training prep programs, a college degree, and a few others. It is recommended that as you are in preparation, you reach out to gyms and begin making connections in order to find a job.

Once you have obtained a job at a gym or fitness club of some sort, you are ready to begin building up your clientele and start your new, exciting career as a personal trainer.

This was another fun and interesting week blogging. As I stated two weeks ago I have had positive experiences with personal trainers in the past. Their work is just completely amazing to me. The way that trainers motivate and inspire their clients just blows my mind. I am glad that I have had the experiences that I did with my trainer, and I just hope that others feel the same way I do about them. A good experience with a trainer can change a person's life for the better.  Not only can they help you physically, but emotionally, as well.  I hope the information that I have provided you over the past couple weeks will help all of those interested in this career.

References

"How To Become A Personal Trainer | National Academy Of Sports Medicine - ..M-PRD-WEB09-Nasm.Org". Nasm.org. Web. 17 Feb. 2017.'

"The Role Of A Personal Trainer". National Federation of Professional Trainers. Web. 17 Feb. 2017.

Us, About et al. "How To Become A Certified Personal Trainer - How To Get Personal Trainer Certification | IFPA". IFPA. Web. 17 Feb. 2017.

Role of Occupational Therapy for Cancer

By: Regan Tarrow
 "The physical, emotional, and cognitive implications associated with chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgery can result in decreased ability to engage in meaningful occupations, including maintaining one's home, returning to work, and performing prior social roles and responsibilities adequately. This can have a profound impact on one's economic status and personal interactions, which affect overall occupational performance, quality of life, and well-being." 

   Occupational therapists really help cancer patients with the fatigue and pain that they go through. In the video, I am amazed at how much the therapy has helped the patient. She explains how after chemotherapy she usually feels an extreme amount of fatigue, but when having occupational therapy, she has had an extreme boost in energy levels. Also, occupational therapists help with the pain that they are feeling also. The exercises they do not only works the brain but the muscles that are being tensed up from the treatment. I am so proud of occupational therapists and how they are making the lives of cancer patients much more enjoyable. This just shows you that medicine isn't the only treatment in cancer. Just having somebody to encourage you and make you work harder can boost your confidence and energy levels. 

   Occupational therapists help cancer patients go back to their normal routines back home after getting chemotherapy or surgeries. They help bathe and dress the patients, establish exercise routines to maintain strength like bed positioning and comfort, address cognitive memory skills to keep the brain working hard, and use lymphedema management to reduce swelling of the muscles to prevent the range of motion of decreasing. All of these examples are necessary to get the cancer patient back on their feet at home and start living the way they deserve to. 

References:
"Occupational Therapy's Role in Breast Cancer Rehabilitation." Aota.org. AOTA, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2017. <http://www.aota.org/About-Occupational-Therapy/Professionals/HW/Breast-Cancer.aspx>.
"Occupational Therapy." Roswell Park Cancer Institute. Rosewell Park Cancer Institute, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2017. <https://www.roswellpark.org/patients/treatment-services/supportive-services/rehabilitation/occupational-therapy>.

Strength or Endurance? That's the $64,000 Question

By: Nick Izzo

Muscles. Do we want strong muscles or muscles with a lot of endurance? This question is answered in workout tests that will differ depending on what you are looking for. Strength is a category that looks to one group of muscles to see just how much force it can possibly put out. Strength tests are normally done with the heaviest weight a person can possibly do 3 times. There is also the one rep max test also referred to as 1 RM. This is how much weight a person can do just one time. This is always fun to watch when the huge guy steps up to the bench and throws on 315 pounds does some grunts to get everyone’s attention and then does it. I mean it actually is impressive though. But there are some downsides to just pure strength and this one rep max test. These 1 RM tests hold an increase in injury. People normally put on as much weight as they think they can do then let gravity bring the bar down to their chest and let it bounce on their chest to have some help to bring it back up. This can literally break your sternum if the bar comes down with enough force. Another problem with strength is that it only focuses on very few muscle groups. So when these people are throwing up 315 on the bench they are only working a few muscle groups in the chest and arms. It doesn’t give any indication to how strong the rest of their body’s muscle groups are. A safe way to improve your strength is taking somewhere between 60 and 80 percent of your 1 RM and completing 8-12 repetitions.

There are also endurance tests. Repeated force on a group of muscles is what tests endurance. These tests have people do many repetitions of a lower weight than if they were to be doing a one rep max test. This will differ from person to person much more than the 1 RM because even two people the same size may have completely different muscle make up; As in one may have more endurance than strength and vice versa. Muscular endurance is becoming much more popular among this generation. This is partly due to the NFL combine bench test. Every guy is tested on how many times they can bench 225 pounds. The more muscular endurance they have, and of course strength is still very important, the more times they will be able to bench that weight. Endurance tests do come with a couple problems. A lot of repetitions in order to test endurance is very difficult. Especially because it takes about 20 repetitions to test it. Also, muscular endurance doesn’t have that “cool” look in the gym. If you are only putting 125 on the bench it doesn’t look very impressive. So people are drawn away from improving their endurance because there’s a stigma of the more plates you have on the bench or what have you, the better you are. Another problem with improving endurance is soreness. Nobody wants to be sore for a couple days and testing endurance will do that to you. It tears the muscles a lot more therefore taking more time to repair and heal.

So it really depends person to person which is more important, strength or endurance. Strength looks cool, it’s more fun but is more dangerous. Endurance doesn’t look impressive, you are more sore after, it is more difficult but muscular endurance is very important. I believe both should be incorporated into your workout and a mix of the two will keep you less bored at the gym if you shake things up every couple weeks. Continuously doing the same workouts over and over won’t help.

I find learning this stuff super exciting and interesting. Knowing how your own body works is crucial to a healthy lifestyle. I’m an aspiring Physical Therapist so keeping myself in good shape is something I enjoy and should want to do and learning these things is very helpful to me.

References:

“MSU- KIN 173 – Foundations of Kinesiology – Spring 2017”. Education.msu.edu. N.p., 2017. Web. 15 Feb. 2017.

Prompt #2: Defining Ethics

By Emily Goltz

Hi everyone! In this post, we will be talking about ethics and how our ethics reflect the ethics of kinesiology. I couldn't find the code of ethics on the government kinesiology website but I did find them on the National Athletic Training Association (NATA) website. Athletic training is my focus so I felt that this was acceptable to go off of.

The first code of ethics is " Members shall practice with compassion, respecting the rights, welfare, and dignity of others." (NATA.org, code of ethics) This shows us that consent and making sure the other persons comfortable and okay with what is going on around them and to them. Likewise to my ethics, I believe it is very important to treat others with respect and have sympathy in times when sympathy is acceptable. Especially with a field like athletic training, people's personal space gets violated often but it is up to the athletic trainer to make sure that they are not crossing any boundaries without permission. I do not like to get in other people's personal business when it is no brought up to me so I believe my ethics are very similar because I believe in the power of consent and the ability to say no when it is needed.

"Members shall comply with the laws and regulations governing the practice of Athletic Training, National Athletic Trainer's Association (NATA) membership standards, and the NATA code of ethics." NATA.org, code of ethics) This shows that athletic trainers cannot and should not do anything outside of their domain of practice. It is illegal to go beyond the legal limits of the athletic trainers power. They can not act like a doctor and prescribe anything or give a definite diagnosis on major injuries. My ethics are similar in the fact that I believe that certain people should not act higher up in society as they are. Normal people on the sidewalks are not trained and do not have the same authority as police officers. I do believe that everybody has a right to speak their opinion but when it comes to the law, let the government officials call the shots.


"Members shall maintain and promote high standards in their provision of services." (NATA.org, code of ethics) Some of the domains of athletic training is the ability to communicate, provide immediate care, have the best interest of their athlete in mind and have to want to continue to be educated. To be an athletic trainer, you need to constantly be putting others first and learning new information. I believe that you need to be able to continue growing in your career whether it be position wise or just the want to continue to learn and improve. 


Reference: http://www.nata.org/membership/about-membership/member-resources/code-of-ethics