IKM-Manning students, grades 6-12, were able to explore 33 different STEM related careers.  Blum Physical Therapy was able to represent the field of physical therapy.  Students got to learn about what physical therapy is, where physical therapists practice, what types of physical therapy there are, and what it takes to become a physical therapist.  They then got to experience neuromuscular electrical stimulation of the wrist extensor muscles.  The students thought that it was interesting how electrical stimulation could be used to stimulate their muscles and make their hand move. 

This morning I had the privilege of presenting at the IKM-Manning STEM event.  30 businesses partnered with the IKM-Manning Schools to provide education and exploration of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math careers to grades 7-12.

I spoke with the students about the importance of anatomy and physics in the physical therapy profession.  The students were able to demonstrate the physics of good posture by one student holding a bowling ball close to the body, and another student holding the same ball at arms length and comparing the effort of the two.  We related the bowling ball to their head on the top of their spine, and how if your head is in good alignment, it is easy to hold it up, but if the head is in a forward position (such as with texting) the muscles have to work much harder.
We then related the physics principals that we talked about in the cervical spine to the lumbar spine.  They were challenged with a problem of how to teach someone the safest way to lift an item from the floor.  They did a good job of thinking through the problem. 
The students then got to palpate the bones of the lower extremity and learned how to measure knee flexion with goniometers.

This morning Blum Physical Therapy was able to attend the STEM Playground put on by the IKM-Manning School District.  STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.  Local businesses partnered with IKM-Manning  to provide K-6th kids with the opportunity to explore STEM-related educational and career opportunities. 

Jamie gave the students an overview of the physical therapy profession and how science (especially anatomy) is used everyday by physical therapists.  The students learned the bones and joints of the arms, and the word "goniometer."
A goniometer is the tool a physical therapist uses to measure the motion in the joints of the body.  The term goniometry is derived from two Greek words, gonia - meaning anlge, and metron - meaning measure.
The students then got to measure their partners elbow motion.  They had a lot of fun with this.