Name: __________________________ Period: _____
Laboratory Exercise and Activity: Splinted Olympics
As an able-bodied person, you have full use of your muscles and senses most of the time. This
laboratory exercise is designed to help you to experience various restrictions of movement and vision.
Do not try to “beat the system”; allow yourself to be impaired, see what it feels like both physically and
mentally. Think about what muscles you are unable to move as you splint yourself and try all the
activities. Do not forget to include proper units when appropriate and fill in all pertinent information.
Everyone must attempt every activity in this laboratory exercise…
A. Muscles of the Forearm, Wrists, and Hands
Muscles located in the forearm flex, extend, abduct, or adduct the wrist and digits. The flexors
are found on the anterior surface of the arm and originate on the medial condyle of the humerus,
whereas the extensors are found on the posterior surface of the arm and originate on the lateral
epicondyle.
Each individual member of the group will complete this activity…
ACTIVITY 1~ Splinted Signature
1. First sign your name, in cursive (no printing) below in the unsplinted signature box.
Unsplinted Signature: ______________________________________________
2. Then using popsicle sticks and first aid tape (or metal splint) place splints on two fingers of
your favored
hand.
Is your favored hand your LEFT or
RIGHT? ______________________
Looking at the diagram indicated
which numbered fingers you splinted.
Numbers _____ and _____
3. Now sign your name, in cursive (no printing) below in the splinted signature box.
Splinted Signature: ______________________________________________
ACTIVITY 2~ Disabled Dart Board
Some people have limited use of their hands. We will be simulating limited hand use in lab
today. First you will throw the Velcro ball/ darts at the dart board with no limitations imposed
upon you, and then we will restrict your use of your hand.
Each individual member of the group will complete this activity…
1. Unrestricted tosses: From the tape throw the Velcro ball/ darts at the dart board three
times, keep track of your score for each throw in Table 8.2 on the next page.
2. Restricted tosses: Hold your thumb and fingers together and tape around them once to limit
their movement, and then place a sock over your taped hand. Now throw the Velcro ball/
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darts at the dart board three times from the tape line using your restricted hand. Record
your score for each throw in Table 8.2.
Table 8.2: Disabled Dart Board Data
Unrestricted
Restricted Tosses
Tosses
Toss 1
Toss 2
Toss 3
GRAND TOTAL
ACTIVITY 3~ Fumbling Fingers
Ever wake up and find your hand is asleep, your fingers feel numb, large, and out of your
direct control? Some people feel this way all the time. You will imitate this sensation by wearing
rubber gloves (vinyl also available) and threading blocks on a shoestring.
This activity needs to be completed in groups of 2…
1. Put on a pair of gloves, and thread 5 alphabet block beads onto a shoe string. Have one of
your lab partners time how long it takes you to complete this task in minutes and seconds
and record your time in Table 8.3 below.
2. Now take off your gloves and try again to thread 5 alphabet block beads onto the shoe
string. Again have your lab partner time how long it takes and record your time in Table 8.3.
3. Calculate the time difference in completing the task with gloves versus without gloves and
record that difference in the appropriate column of Table 8.3 (be sure to indicate whether
this is a positive or negative number).
4. Trade places with your partner and have them attempt steps 1-3.
Table 8.3: Fumbling Fingers
With Gloves
Time lapsed
(minutes, seconds)
Without Gloves
Time Difference
ACTIVITY 4~ Seeing Stars
Eye-hand coordination is often taken for granted. Your hand movements are usually
directed by what you perceive through your eyes…BUT what if your perception is altered? In this
activity, you will use a mirror from the green table in the back of the room to experience altered
perception.
Each individual member of the group will complete this activity…
1. Align the mirror so that you can see Star 1 pictured below in it.
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2. Looking ONLY in the mirror, trace Star 1…
3. Next align the mirror so that you can see Star 2 pictured below in it and looking ONLY in the
mirror, trace this star also.
ACTIVITY 5~ Tangible Tender
Being blind creates many problems, one of which is dealing with money. In this
experience, you will work with a partner who will ask you to add the sum of 5 pieces of change
and 3 bills while your eyes are blindfolded (no peeking!). Each member of the group should try
this. Enter your ascertained total sums into Table 8.4 below.
Table 8.4: Tangible Tender
Your name
Total coins added
Total bills added
Grand Total
ACTIVITY 6~ Puzzle Me This
In this activity, you will once again be blindfolded (no peeking!). You will attempt to
complete a puzzle with a blindfold first and then without a blindfold.
This activity needs to be completed in groups of 2…
1. Each member of the group should take a turn trying this. Obtain a 16-piece puzzle and a
blindfold.
2. With a partner, look over the puzzle and then disassemble it.
3. Put on your blindfold and try putting the puzzle together while your partner times you.
4. Record your blindfolded time in Table 8.5 below.
5. Now remove your blindfold and try putting the puzzle together again while your partner
times you.
6. Record your without blindfolded time in the table.
7. Trade places with your partner, repeat steps 2-6.
Table 8.5: Puzzle Me This
With Blindfold
Time lapsed
(minutes, seconds)
Without Blindfold
Time Difference
ACTIVITY 7~ Disarming Dribbling
People lose mobility of joints for a variety of reasons. In this activity, you will splint two
joints and attempt to maneuver a ball around cones.
Each individual member of the group will complete this activity…
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1. First dribble the ball from the starting line, around the cones, then back to the starting line
without any restrictions, have a partner time you and record your time in Table 8.6 on the
next page.
2. Now place splints (meter sticks or rulers will do the job) on your favored elbow and one
knee and run the course again, have a partner time you and record your time in the table
below.
3. Trade places with your partner, repeat steps 1-2.
Table 8.6: Disarming Dribbling
Without Splints
Time lapsed
(minutes, seconds)
With Splints
Time Difference
ACTIVITY 8~ Botched Basketball Free Throw
Arm amputees need to function with only one arm, some are lucky enough to lose their
non-favored arm but some lose their favored arm.
Each individual member of the group will complete this activity…
1. Hold your non-favored hand behind your back and throw the basketball through the loop
from the foul line five times with your favored hand. Record how many baskets you make
with your favored hand in table 8.7 below.
2. Now hold your favored hand behind your back and throw the basketball through the loop
with your non-favored hand. Record how many baskets you make with your non-favored
hand in the table below.
Table 8.7: Botched Basketball Free Throw
With favored
With non-favored
hand
hand
Baskets Made
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Which restrictions made you feel the most uncomfortable? Explain why.
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2. Describe how you felt when you had restricted movement.
3. Describe how you felt when you had restricted vision.
4. Look at the Figure 8.1 below and Table 8.1, on the next page, to name some muscles that
were being constricted when you splinted your fingers in Activity 1.
The anterior compartment muscles function as flexors, and the posterior compartment muscles
function as extensors.
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5. Looking at the Figure 8.1 and Table 8.1 again, name the muscle(s) that were being restricted
when you took the ‘Disabled Dart Board’ challenge in Activity 2.
6. Looking at the Figure 8.1 and Table 8.1 once again, name the muscle(s) that were impaired
when you took the ‘Fumbling Fingers’ challenge in Activity 3.
7. Activity 4 was designed to show how eye-hand coordination is related to perception.
Were you able to easily trace Star 1 while looking only in the mirror? _________
Were you able to easily trace Star 2 while looking only in the mirror? _________
If you had difficulties, why do you think you did?
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8. In doing Activity 5, “Tangible Tender”, what type of problems did you incounter when trying
to add the coins and bills while blindfolded?
9. Which muscles in your wrist, hand, and fingers enabled you to feel the structure of the
puzzle pieces while blindfolded (refer back to Figure 8.1 and Table 8.1 for help answering
this question)?
10. Looking back at Figure 8.1, which muscle was restricted when you splinted your favored
elbow in Activity 7?
Refer to pages 217 and 220-221 of your textbook and identify the muscles that were
restricted when you splinted your knee.
11. List and briefly describe 4 disorders/ diseases that cause a restriction of muscle movement.
(You may use your textbook or any other resource of your choosing.)
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