Man from the South Adaptations

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    After reading about “Man from the South,” it makes the reader question what significance the small finger performs. Most people do not realize the amount of strength and purpose the small finger actually provides. The soldier would ultimately lose a huge proportion of his grip strength due to injury of the ulnar nerve. This would prevent him from grasping larger objects, holding and squeezing a gun, and performing body weight exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, and lifting weights. 

There are various adaptive equipment that could be utilized for his disability. Lifting aids, such as hooks or Velcro straps could be attached to the body or hand in some way. These could be incorporated into his daily tasks when carrying equipment or holding on to things that require a lot of grip strength. If the soldier struggles with gripping utensils, cutlery grips could be incorporated. If he is wanting a more permanent solution, there are prosthetics that are powered by the wrist to perform tasks. The outcome represented in the OTPF-4 would be role competence, occupational performance, and even improvement. 


            The man’s wife would have a more difficult time adjusting to daily tasks. The first task that comes to mind would be driving a vehicle. This could potentially be dangerous when she drives and turns a vehicle. A Spin Master knob would be great adaptive equipment to use on her steering wheel, and it will allow her to drive with one hand. This will provide for a safer and easier movement when operating a vehicle.

Comments

  1. Ryann BizetteApril 30, 2022 at 7:46 PM

    Mackenzie!! We both had a very similar thought process when it came to thinking of adaptive equipment/modifications for the soldier and the wife! I started to look into adaptive equipment for vehicles, and I agree that a knob would aid the wife substantially, too. I think she needs to be the one driving the vehicle, since her husband cannot be as trusted when it comes to cars with his habit of giving them away. A knob will surely able her to turn the steering wheel in a more efficient manner.

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  2. Virginia VanausdallMay 1, 2022 at 7:29 AM

    Hello Mackenzie, I think you did a great job at explaining the significance of the little finger! You make a great point when you talk about how many people don't realize how important the little finger is and that if the soldier would have lost his pinky finger that his grip strength would decrease significantly. Also, I love how you explained that from grasping larger objects to even holding a gun would be challenging for the soldier. I thought that the adaptive utensils and prosthetics would greatly benefit the soldier in his daily occupations too. Lastly, I think you did an excellent job when talking about the wife's occupations and how her being behind the wheel of a vehicle that isn't modified/adaptive could pose a huge risk/danger to others around.

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