My Own Injuries

Part of the reason I went into PT was because of an ankle injury in high school. Now that I am almost a PT I am getting injured more and more it seems... In my swimming training I probably jumped back into it too quickly and pushed myself too much and thus have caught a VMO (one thigh muscle) and calf cramp in separate sessions. Last week I sprained my right ankle pretty badly and playing softball this last night I sprained my left one (not as badly). I would diagnose myself as a chronic ankle sprainer... also had some bicipital tendinitis probably from overworking my arms in the last two days. I think I need some more protein in my diet to help my muscles recover faster. I feel the knowledge I have gained about the human body is helping me deal with these injuries and giving me a good perspective. By no means am I asking for sympathy for my minor complaints, just thought it would be good babble for this bloggle (I like making new words).
Anyway, here are some of the topics I am covering for my cardiopulm final/practical:

• Reading, interpreting, analyzing EKG strips
• Measuring chest wall excursion
• Postural drainage, chest PT, vibration/shaking
  
• Assisted cough techniques/facilitation of breathing
  
• Mechanical ventilators...
  
• Max/Sub max exercise testing/prescription/screening, reasons to stop the test or stop exercise (e.g. SBP of 260/DBP of 115), calculations of VO2, target HR, etc.
• Precordial EKG lead placement
• Auscultation of the lungs (Virtual Stethoscope link), breath sounds
  
• Taking BP & HR (both w/in 45 sec.) while pt. is on bike/treadmill
• Examination of the Cardiac pt. (Borg scale, Par-Q), taking a history
  
• Exercise physiology
• ACSM guidelines (e.g. contraindications to exercise, risk factor stratification)
• Analyzing Lab Values (e.g. ABG's)
• and much much more... oy...