How physically demanding is OMM?

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I have been accepted to a DO school for the class of 2016. I have had issues with tendonitis in my right rotator cuff in the past, but just recently it has become QUITE serious and I have also started to get some tendonitis in the left shoulder from over compensating. Im wondering if Ill be able to perform OMM. How much physical activity is involved? is it quite straining? is upper body strength utilized greatly?

Also on the same note.. how physically demanding is 3rd year with regards to rotations....

Im seriously considering not attending, so this is a pretty big deal for me .. Any thoughts would be great. Thanks

You'll be fine. If you're limited, just go through the motions. They won't make you over exert and exacerbate your condition. Congrats!

thanks for your reply bacchus, that makes me feel a little better. I noticed you've completed a lot of rotations. Was surgery pretty taxing on the upper body?

Surgery specialties have the longest hours FYI. If being a doctor is your dream I encourage you to pursuit it! Rotations and residency are challenging and require extreme commitment, but if you take care of yourself outside of class/work I don't see why you shouldn't be able to do it! There are a lot of students with minor and sometimes major disabilities. Good luck!

im not really concerned about hours as much as strenous upper body activity valkener..

Originally Posted by goodolchap

thanks for your reply bacchus, that makes me feel a little better. I noticed you've completed a lot of rotations. Was surgery pretty taxing on the upper body?

You'll be holding retractors for a while in surgery or lap cams. Is this something that can be definitively treated by 3rd year? You're going to be working with your hands a lot, but most of the time it's not strenuous. A lot of note writing, a lot of dissecting in anatomy, lots of retractor holding in surgery. Plenty of time to get this under control, I'd think.

I would agree that 3rd year surgery rotation is probably the main time when it might be a problem. However, you won't be the first person to be coming to 3rd year with a physical issue, and I wouldn't let this stop you from attending. Perhaps you can talk to your doctor about what you can do to try to be in your optimal condition right before that rotation.

Originally Posted by goodolchap

I have been accepted to a DO school for the class of 2016. I have had issues with tendonitis in my right rotator cuff in the past, but just recently it has become QUITE serious and I have also started to get some tendonitis in the left shoulder from over compensating. Im wondering if Ill be able to perform OMM. How much physical activity is involved? is it quite straining? is upper body strength utilized greatly?

Also on the same note.. how physically demanding is 3rd year with regards to rotations....

Im seriously considering not attending, so this is a pretty big deal for me .. Any thoughts would be great. Thanks

You sure it's tendonitis? I've had it in the past from weightlifting and it went away after I stopped the lift that was aggravating it.

Go and search for "super cissus" (amazon has it) it's by USP Labs. It'll help with tendon and ligament pain.

hey thanks everyone for replying, it helps to be able to talk to you guys about it.. Needless to say im losing it at this point, ive been trying to figure out what else i would even do with my life and im pretty much spinning down the depression drain.
..
-musclemilk.. ya its tendonitis, I think for some reason i have abonormally weak tendons or they are really poorly vascularized. I've had it under control for the longest, but recently its gotten really bad, like even driving flares them up. thx for the supplement advice i will check it out!

Peppy & bacchus.. I do everything I can( and that has been professionally reccomended) to try and rehab them, but its a persisting problem... My dexterity is normal, but my shoulders are just super weak... When holding retractors do you hold your arm at a 90 degree angle or more like a 45 degree? Do you think my seniors would be understanding in this type of situation and allow me not to hold them ?
Also from your guys' tone it seems that i shouldnt be too concerned about OMM then huh?

Originally Posted by goodolchap

hey thanks everyone for replying, it helps to be able to talk to you guys about it.. Needless to say im losing it at this point, ive been trying to figure out what else i would even do with my life and im pretty much spinning down the depression drain.
..
-musclemilk.. ya its tendonitis, I think for some reason i have abonormally weak tendons or they are really poorly vascularized. I've had it under control for the longest, but recently its gotten really bad, like even driving flares them up. thx for the supplement advice i will check it out!

Peppy & bacchus.. I do everything I can( and that has been professionally reccomended) to try and rehab them, but its a persisting problem... My dexterity is normal, but my shoulders are just super weak... When holding retractors do you hold your arm at a 90 degree angle or more like a 45 degree? Do you think my seniors would be understanding in this type of situation and allow me not to hold them ?
Also from your guys' tone it seems that i shouldnt be too concerned about OMM then huh?

You'll be fine. I've had shoulder tendinitis issues since high school and was a retractor holder throughout late-high school and most of college. While it may hurt once in awhile or your lacking endurance/strength may be an inconvenience at times, you'll figure out ways to make it work (like finding stuff to rest your forearms/elbows on [be it your hip, the patient, etc]). As for OMM, don't let it concern you the least bit. The only time your shoulder should be an issue is if you're doing UE shoulder tests; then you either deal with it or tell your partner they can't do it on you.

OP, want to know something cool about OMM?

A lot of the techniques, especially here at PCOM w/ Nicholaus OMM book, are contraindicated if the PHYSICIAN can't physically do them. You'll obviously have to know the theory behind them and go through the motions but you'll be OK.

Did you see a rheumatologist or at least a primary care physician for this? My dad has PMR (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymyalgia_rheumatica). It might be something that can be treated easily.

I only read the OP's post. The only time I ever had tendonitis in my wrist/hands is when I had to do OMM in 2nd year. I am a small person and my hands could not handle lifting up legs for the sacral and lumbar spine, and tender point stuff... However, as soon as that practical was over, I got better.

thanks everyone for commenting, its seems mostly positive. I have been going to doctors to figure out if i have something recently valkener so we'll see what happens i guess. I also have some weakness and pain in my forearms and triceps recently so some systemic issue has become probable.
Any other comments on physical demand of OMM or 3rd and 4th year are appreciated, thanks again everyone

I use a surrogate during our OMT practicals because I have preexisting back conditions. Performing it isn't very demanding, at least if you don't want it to be.