The foot Biology Tid-bit

                                         THE FOOT

Foot – 28 bones – including two tiny sesamoids (shaped like a sesame seed)

• The bones form four arches held together by 112 ligaments and are activated by 20 muscles.  Networks of blood vessels and nerves serve both the skeletal and the muscular structures of the foot.  Sesamoid bones float in the tendon of a small foot muscle and act to protect the tendon as it moves back and forth.
• The 28 bones in each foot divide into 3 groups.  At the front of the foot are the 14 Phalanges that constitute the toes. 
• In the middle of the foot are the 5 metatarsal and 2 sesamoid bones that together make up the instep (metatarsal and 2 sesamoid bones that together make up the instep (metatarsus).
• At the back of the foot are 7 bones that form the heel and ankle (Tarsus).
• The main bone of the foot is the heel bone (Calcaneus).  The ankle bone (Talus) rests directly upon it.
• The weight of the body is transmitted through the anklebone downward to the other bones of the foot.  Part of the weight is distributed downward and forward.
• The toe bones except for those of the big toe, bear almost no weight when you walk.  Their principal function is to give spring to the step.
• When the body is erect, its weight is transmitted through the anklebone to the other bones of the foot and is shared with them.  The 28 bones in the foot are so placed that they catch and bear the entire weight of the body on 4 arches.
• The ankle and toe joints are hinges that allow the ankle and toes to flex and bend up and down and to move forward and backward.
• The other joints of the foot those between the tarsal and metarsal bones can move only slightly.  They are of a gliding nature, one against another (excluding the ankle).
• Your foot cannot function without its 20 muscles and the muscles of the lower leg.  It makes possible the movement of the foot (eg raising foot to tip toe position, rotate the foot; flex the ankle.
• Muscles end in tendons that (fibrous cords of connective tissue that attach muscle to bone.
• The foot’s blood vessels form as extremely fine network of arteries, veins and capillaries to provide the lowest extremity with a rich supply of blood, which carries nutrients to the cells.
• There are nerves that serve the bottom of the foot and nerves that stimulate, the top.
• The skin of the foot is of two types thick and thin.  The sole of the foot is composed entirely of thickened skin up to 5 layers deep.
• Thick skin has no hair follicles or oil glands.  When prolonged pressure or friction is applied to thick skin, the outermost layer grows into a leathery, horny mass that we call a callus.  Thick skin on foot forms a mat tough enough to protect the many structures inside the foot against abrasion, lacerations, and perforations by sharp objects.  The ridges and whorls on the foots’ thick skin, (very much like those of fingerprints) give rise to friction and thus supply a grasping surface for the bare foot.  Thin skin is the normal epidermis covering the whole foot except for the sole and toenails.  It consists of only one layer containing oil glands and follicles.

 TOENAILS – which are protective plates.  

• The part of the nail that is out of sight between the body and the root is known as the matrix.  Injury to the matrix or root interrupts the nail’s natural protective growth pattern; the toenail would then grow either abnormally thick or o one side.

It's the weekend, once again

What are your plans this weekend?  Do you have any?  Is your life spontaneous?  Do you plan everything?  Do you have nothing to do?  Are you bombarded with so much, you do not know if you are coming or going?  Slow down; stop.  Maybe it is time to start your journal, if you have not done so already.  Are you happy with your life right now?  Do you feel there is something missing?  Are you being abused?  Remember that abusers blame you and not themselves.  Each and everyone of us is worthy of love.  What can you do do to change what you do not like, that is happening in your life?  Are you an abuser?  Do you know why you are?  Have you lost control of your life?  Are you hurting those you love?  Do you find yourself wanting things, you know is wrong?  Perhaps it is time to reach out for help?  Do you have a drinking or drug problem?  Are you in denial?  What are you going to do about it?

Why not go out today and just relax and refocus.  What does a day for yourself sound like?  What is it that you would really like to do if you can have a day, to do exactly what you would like to do?  This will tell you about yourself.  Now ask yourself why you are not doing it?

What do you believe in?  Why?  What are your choices?  Have a nice weekend, if you can.  What do you think?  

Explanatory Style - Personality (psychology - notes)cont...

Similar to locus of control is Explanatory Style:  In accounting for why one becomes ill, those who are healthy in young adulthood but whose explanatory style was marked by pessimism, showed more health problems in their 40's.  Thus, a correlation exists between health status and manner of explaining health problems.  Explanatory style becomes a personality variable that may predict future health status.

technical difficulties - cannot edit previous post - sorry

Adaptive Styles or Coping Styles - psychology (cont)

Locus of Control -    To what do I attribute the cause (or control) of an outcome?  Is control internal or external?  Those who attribute outcomes to their own efforts are greater information seekers, highly achievement orientated, resist undue social pressure, engage in greater health enhancing activities, are less anxxious and less likely to be diagnosed as having psychiatric illness.  Locus of Control depends on situations.  Externals are better at adjusting to situations over which they have no real objective control such as elderly in a nursing home.  Those seeking treatment for alcohol abuse sought out others, earlier for help and stayed in AA longer.     Thus to be internal or external may be correlated with certain behaviour patterns whether, orientation -- internal or external -- is better depends on situational factors as well. 

Personality - definitions cont...psychology notes

   Allport's Definition  -  Personality is the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychological systems that determine his/her characteristic behaviour and thought.

   Mischel's Definition -  Personality is a set of distinctive patterns of behaviour thoughts and emotions that characterize each individual's adaption to the situations around each person's life.  Thus, personality is a unique and consistant pattern of adaptive behaviour exhibited over time.

Concept of Adaption:  means adjustment to changing circumstances in the environment and within the self.  People adapt by changing the self, the situation, or both.  Adaption shows continuity.  People adopt various strategies which are repeated across situations.

Yesterday I talked to a Catholic youth club

More correctly, last night I addressed a Catholic Youth group.  I focused around two questions.  The first, who is God?  The second question, what is faith?  It lasted 45 minutes.  It had been awhile since I addressed children/teens, rather than adults.  Asking questions and listening to teens is important.  They are our future.  What do you think?