Finally, a week without exams! Though I have three exams next week, I am happy to have a break from the stress of exams this week. These exams remind me of my days in undergrad as a biology major, but three times more exams. As a reference point I took 18 to 20 credits per semester in undergrad, so it was quite a load as well.

With a break in the action I was able to enjoy the Florida sun with my girlfriend. We went to a beach bar on the Tampa Bay for happy hour. We did our own version of bar hopping by walking over to the tiki bar next door for some fresh seafood. The food was great and the company was even better. The time flew by as we conversed with our friends. The sun went down and we called it a night.

On Wednesday, I attended Motion Palpation Club where we worked on palpation of the cervical thoracic junction (CT junction). We went over it in Evaluation and Management class, but it is always good to review as well as learn new ways to motion palpate the same segment. Everyone is different; one technique may not work on everyone. It is beneficial to know different palpation, soft tissue, and adjusting techniques for this reason. We went over the palpation, and then we paired up and practiced.

Thursday, I attended Sports Council where we went over FMS or functional movement systems. We also went over the Y-balance test, which is used in the NHL combine. These movement systems help evaluate muscular stability, functional symmetry, and flexibility. There are grading systems for each of the functional movement systems, which range from “non-functional with pain” to “fully functional / no pain.” We simply scratched the surface of FMS. There are seminars available and I plan on attending them when given the opportunity.

After the lecture on FMS and the Y-balance test, we all got an opportunity to try it ourselves. I had more stability standing on my left foot than standing on my right. It wasn’t too far off but there was a difference. Unfortunately, I don’t have the strength and stability of the athletes who participated in the NHL combine, but I can dream right?

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