The Flip takes decent pictures. Lower Manhattan from Brooklyn Bridge 7/10/11
I can’t say enough good things about my area and the school I’m attending. Along those lines, it has definitely been a couple weeks of firsts for me:
First 1: Flipping over a dead guy: Cadaver Anatomy
I’ve been looking forward to this since the beginning of my application process on PTCAS. Honestly, I can’t say that anatomy has always been my thing. This past thursday was our first cadaver dissection. We started with an incision on the anterior side just lateral to the sternum, staying very superficial to try and only detach the epidermis (I’m speaking like this because it sounds a little more gruesome otherwise), and moved along until we got to the bottom of the sternum and moved laterally.
Try this. Pinch the skin on your forearm. Doesn’t feel so tough right? That’s what I thought at first too. I’m not entirely sure if it’s due to the preserving fluid or if this is actually how it is, but the skin is so unbelievably tough that I could make a small hole with my scalpel big enough to fit my finger in and just pull as hard as I could and the skin wouldn’t rip. We had to pull hard as we used the scalpel to release all of the subcutaneous fat and epimysium (most superficial fascia) from the skin.
Eventually, we got down to the Pec Major, Pec Minor, and Serratus Anterior. Actually being able to see the origins, insertions, and nerves really drilled home the actions of these muscles for me. For example, I could really see how the pec minors origin on ribs 3, 4 and 5 to the coracoid process of the scapula could effect scapular anterior tilt, lead to subaccromial nerve impingement (along with other Upper Crossed pathologies), and rib flair of those ribs. Now because I haven’t worked in an emergency type care situation or a life of crime, I’ve never had to do what I had to do next until thursday: moving a dead guy. I’ll spare you from the details and say that it was definitely a team effort. We then moved to the superficial back muscles with the Trapezius, Lats, Quadrangular Space, most Rotator Cuff muscles (Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres Minor, but not subscapularis – we didn’t get that deep anteriorly yet), and the Teres Major. This guys trapz were huge and thick. The lats, overall, although they cover a large distance, seemed very thin.
I’m sure you’ve seen this clown walking down the street: Puffed up chest, arms out wide, toolish, etc.
Sure my incredibly funny room mate Sly popped this picture of me while I wasn’t looking so I didn’t pose for this; however, it still doesn’t mean I’m a tool (I like to think). This has been coined, “Imaginary Lat Syndrome” in some circles. It can be easily noted clinically as the olecranon process (elbow) of the ulna facing outward and the palms facing posteriorly, along with taped up hair and a wife beater. Really what it is, is internal rotation of the shoulder. There are three muscles that insert to the intertubercular groove/sulcus of the humerus, and lead to strong internal rotation moments:
1. Pec Major
2. Latissiumus Dorsi
3. Teres Major
If any of these structures are short/stiff, it can lead to internal rotation of the shoulder, which can lead to movement dysfunction in all things glenohumeral – especially shoulder abduction due to the greater tubercle of the humerus rotating anteriorly, impinging on the subacromial arch. Just rotate your arm in, and try to raise it on your side overhead. You’ll feel it. If this is your passive posture, it will most likely be your dynamic posture in things like throwing and other overhead movements. Hence, clinical relevance for correction BEFORE injury occurs. Poor movements cause pathology.
We do have open hours in the lab monday - friday, along with scheduled lab time, for the next 6 months and I’m looking forward to getting down the basics cold; and hopefully try and see some Anatomy Trains.
First 2: Running sprints on a roof top track
With my official retirement from the Inline Hockey scene (for the next 3 years), I recently fell in love with track sprint workouts. So when I heard that LIU not only had a track, but it was a roof top track, I couldn’t be more excited. I met a classmate in the weight room and we found our way up to the roof where the track was. If you’ve been to an indoor track, you know it’s smaller than outdoor tracks and are usually banked a bit more. The roof top track was outdoor, but it was not outdoor sized. It wasn’t even indoor sized. In order to run a mile on this track, you have to run around it 12 times.
Needless to say, I felt like a kid whose ice cream tumbled off his cone onto the ground. But, we made the best of it by stealing another kid’s ice cream. And by that I mean running shorter sprints. We ran ten 30 yard linear sprints, working from a low intensity dialing in form to 3 full on sprints. I eventually got over my disappointment and appreciated the fact that I was running sprints, on a roof, in NYC. Life could be worse, dude.
Afterwards we went down into the weight room and did 10 sets of 5 reps of Box Squats paired with Seated Psoas Lift. I worked up to 275 to a box slightly below parallel, vertical shin, spreading the floor, all that good stuff. I’m looking forward to more training sessions like these.
First 3: Finding a dead fly in your fresh spinach
Not much to elaborate on here. I love all of the fresh food I get here in Brooklyn. The only drawback is sometimes your food is so fresh, that you find bugs in it when you are super pumped to eat your awesome taco dinner you made. You know in some cultures, they only eat vomit, so I’m not complaining.
First 4: I <3 Parks: Studying/Observing Babies/Toddlers Movement Patterns
A combined one here. I’m not exactly studying this in school, yet. This is more like, I bring my anatomy notecards with me to the park to study, and get caught up watching cute kids playing with their parents on beautiful New York days.
World War II Memorial Park: Brooklyn Heights
Just as a little observation, I was watching a kid who was about 3 years old swing a plastic bat to hit a whiffle ball off the tee. First, he was pretty damn good. He showed that ball who was boss. Second, I’m not sure if it’s part of the primal movement patterns viewpoint, endochondrol bone growth development, or that he hasn’t been taught proper baseball swinging mechanics (nor should he at 3), but his bias was to twist his whole body, rather than internally rotate his lead leg, like in golf, hockey, or baseball, or twist at his spine (thoracic or lumbar). Picture a spinning top, that was this kid – and I’m sure everyone has witnessed this before. Whether this is structural, neural, or biomechanical I’m not sure. Probably a combination. As we try to establish these “Normal” or “Base Line” movement patterns we should strive for and seem to lose as we age, we have to ponder these real life scenarios and eventually form a better understanding of what normal really is, or if it even exists globally.
Firsts 5 and 6: Voluntarily getting up early AND doing steady state cardio
For those of you that really know me, I like to sleep in. I’ve been approached from both Sleepys and Tempurpedic to promote their products of how soundly one can sleep – I’m like the Michael Jordan of sleeping. Lately, I’ve been waking up a little bit easier. It’s probably the weather. But, I found myself having the urge to do things I’ve never wanted to before: get up early, and run steady state cardio. Again, those that know me, I can’t stand just going for runs – mostly because of all of the injuries related with long distance running, the somewhat emaciated looking individuals the sport produces (no offense), and the fact that society places these individuals at the top of the “most fit” category. I decided that I want to enjoy the weather and scenery New York has to offer, and steady state cardio seemed to be a good means of doing so. With that being said, I have to say one thing: there is definitely a spiritual type of feeling (for me) that I get when I exercise in the sun versus in the weight room. I can better understand what I think draws these people to continue running, even after injury after injury (along with they are probably type I muscle fiber dominant and most likely didn’t find their calling in strength and power sports).
So the opportunity presented itself. A classmate on the soccer team wanted to run the Brooklyn Bridge as her cardio day. So I joined her, well, kind of. Long story short, miscommunication, mostly on my part, lead to me doing a long run by myself. I’ve been lifting since 10th grade of high school. I’ve always loved lifting. I used to do 1 mile runs in high school only because I thought it would help me in hockey (as a side note I always wondered why I never had legs at the start of the season, even though I ran miles plenty of times – before I discovered interval and shuttle run type conditioning). I finished my run, and I feel sore already. Granted, I lifted 4 times this week and hit it pretty hard. It’s such a different sore feeling than I usually get. I was getting very quad dominant, eccentric braking type feelings during the run that I don’t get in the weight room – probably because that’s what jogging is, braking.
This experience drills home something I heard Mike Boyle say, and more recently, my Movement Analysis professor, Dr. Hagins, say recently: “People who are flexible loveee to stretch. People who are strong loveee to lift. Just get these people to switch.” Bottom line: we like to do what we are good at. Swallow your pride and try something new, because it may not be what you want, but it’s what you need.
First 6 TONIGHT: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
The day has finally come! A break from studying for my Physiology Exam monday, Anatomy Quiz tuesday, and Movement Analysis quiz wednesday. I was amazed when a friend of mine living in Manhattan told me she actually met Emma Watson in NYC at her hotel room to sell her jewelry – she told me she put in a good word for me. One of the perks of this city I suppose. No I don’t own a I <3 NYC tee shirt.
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Take care,
Eric Keene
