Synthesis

Kinesiology is relatable to everyone because, of course, everyone has a body and it is important to know what goes on with it. Once you explore this engrossing field, you will begin to apply it to your own life. If any injuries arise, the proper steps to treat it can be taken and prevention of any new injuries or an old one can be used properly.

Kinesiology is the study of the mechanics of body movements and sports medicine is a profession that falls under the kinesiology field. Not a lot of people know how kinesiology and sports medicine actually can relate to them. For instance most people exercise and most people either play or have played a sport in their lifetime. If you have ever gotten injured exercising or playing a sport or want to minimize the risk of injury then this field pertains to you.

Sports are a big deal in our society. In one way or another a person has played a sport or an activity or a game before. With the many health benefits to being active there are still some pretty significant health risks. There are many common injuries that come along with just plain exercise. According to webMD.com the most common exercising injuries are: muscle pull and strain, sprained ankle, shoulder injury, knee injuries, shin splint, tendinitis, and wrist sprain or dislocation. These are injuries that can happen to anybody not just the “elite” athletes. According to nih.gov the most common sports injuries are: sprains and strains, knee injuries, swollen muscles, Achilles tendon injuries, pain along the shin bone, rotator cuff injuries, fractures and dislocations. Sports injuries occur probably more than you think. Stated by hopkinsmedicine.org, “In the U.S., about 30 million children and teens participate in some form of organized sports, and more than 3.5 million injuries each year, which cause some loss of time of participation, are experienced by the participants.” You might think that this doesn’t pertain to you because you don’t play sports anymore. Well, a lot of times those little aches and pains that you had when you did play sports become a more serious problem when you get older. There is definitely a need for kinesiology and sports medicine professionals.

There are also injuries that NEED medical attention like concussions for example. Concussions are one of the most serious injuries that can occur to an athlete. They require a doctor to examine the brain and identify the magnitude of the concussion and whether a player can return to play or not.

It can be very pertinent to be well educated in the field of kinesiology. Knowing certain skills can actually save someone’s life. For example if you and a friend are out to eat and suddenly the friend is grabbing their throat and turning blue what do you do? If you are out in the supermarket line and the person behind you collapses and isn’t breathing what so you do? You are probably thinking that these are very unlikely to happen but what if they do are you going to be a deer in headlights or will you be prepared to ultimately save a life. Being skilled in things like CPR and first aid can help you control a situation and not let it control you.

These aspects of kinesiology are all important and can definitely relate to everyone. I know personally that these things are true because not only do I study kinesiology but I was active in sports all my life. I have seen many injuries and serious health problems occur to others and have had some of my own as well. I have had the experience of a sports medicine physician, and an athletic trainer. They not only helped me physically end my injuries and return to play but they helped me in other ways. They gave me reassurance, peace of mind, and hope that I could eventually overcome my injury and return to living the active lifer that I had. Every day in my kinesiology class I learn something new that I can apply to my life to help me and to help others and I know that other people interested in exploring this field or just interested in being a well-rounded person can take back an abundance of applicable skills and knowledge.

References

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/workout-injuries-prevention-and-treatment

https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/sportsinjuries.html

Image credit: http://osteoarthritisblog.com/category/osteo-arthritis-treatment-option/physical-therapy-2/
http://northwalesspineclinic.co.uk/chiropractic-treatment-in-gwynedd-conwy-and-anglesey

What Kinesiology Means to Me

Kinesiology is definitely the field that I want to go in, but I didn't just wake up one day with a new found passion for it. I have always been active in sports since I was little and even now that I have graduated form high school and don't play any sports anymore I am still very physically active. Being active like I am, I have encountered many injuries. None of them really hindered me or stopped me from play though, until my senior year of high school.

I was at my soccer game defending the goal when  the opposing team was charging down the field. I ran up to jockey the girl with the ball when I had cut sharp in one direction but my cleat had gotten stuck in the mud and my one leg didn't go with the other. I had pain in my knee and no matter how I tried to ice it and rest it, it would not go away. So finally I went to physical therapy. My physical therapist walked me through the whole process. He was very kind and understanding, he didn't provide any care or treatment without me knowing what was going on and why he was doing it. He helped me to be aware of my own body and how to strengthen my knee. I loved the feeling of being in control of my injury and he helped me to overcome it and return to the active lifestyle that I was accustomed to. This experience really made me appreciate kinesiology that much more!

Prompt # 7: Contemplating Controversy

I played soccer for many years. I have played on a lot of fields, one of those being a turf field. Turf is suppose to imitate grass but its really rubber. There is a big controversy over whether it's safe or not for athletes to play on. Turf, since it is artificial grass, has chemicals present in it. People are concerned that these chemicals with constant exposure to the athlete can cause cancer or other health problems and others believe that it is perfectly fine to play on turf fields. So are these chemicals hazardous to a player's health? Click on the link to find out for yourself: Turf controversy.

Credit: http://www.comedsoc.org/Sports_Medicine.htm?s=486
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVZSVhyMv-A
Image credit: http://www.redridersportsblog.com/p/northeast-ohio-turf-fields.html

Prompt # 6: Evaluating Sources

I have read an article about some of the problems that can arise in sports medicine specifically dealing with the physician and the athlete. As you guys might know by now sports medicine physicians make a lot of decisions when it comes to the athlete being able to play or not after an injury. The argument is that is there ethical or conflict of interest problems happening within this occupation. "Team-employed physicians have obligations to act in the club’s best interest while caring for the individual athlete." (Bioeth, 2013). So if the star athlete of the team gets an injury right before the championship game do you think the physician would tell him to sit out that game or tell him that he can return to play?

These are the kinds of problems that can occur within this profession. I totally agree with the author of this article. Things like this can happen and probably are happening, but I also think that the integrity of most doctors would prevent them from making these kinds of ethical/conflict of interest mistakes. I also have learned that it all depends on the individual person. One doctor could be making these kind of blunders and not feel any remorse, and another doctor could be the most ethical upstanding type of person. Overall I think that most doctors went into the healthcare profession because they genuinely care about the well being of their patients/athletes so these problems are scarce.

Credit: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3899648/
Image credit:  http://dailyreckoning.com/how-unethical-doctors-profit-from-obamacare/

Pompt #10: Recognizing Truth

There are definitely misleading stereotypes that people have about doctors and people in the medical field. I found a site that hit on some of the most common ones: http://lifeinthefastlane.com/resident-evaluations/ . I find this kind of disturbing. After investigating a lot of different articles, newsletters, and various blogs about my field I know better. These different stereotypes are probably based on a couple peoples' bad experience with that kind of doctor and they went gossiping about it. Most doctors go into the field to help people, so why wouldn't they try to give their patients the best care they can give?


One of the other stereotype that was stated was about some doctors being lazy. I feel like after all the schooling a doctor had to go through and as many hours a doctor puts in during the day they are the farthest thing from "lazy". I read a blog post from a doctor addressing some of the stereotypes that she has heard. http://www.physicianspractice.com/blog/common-stereotypes-often-cloud-patients%e2%80%99-perception-physicians. I think that people need to realize that a doctor can match the description of some of these stereotypes but that is not a reflection of the profession but of the individual person, but most doctors genuinely care about their work and the patients that they treat.

Image credit: http://www.salon.com/2013/02/07/clergy_are_not_doctors_and_the_u_s_has_its_own_savita_halappanavars/

Do You Want to Lose Weight?!

Let's talk about weight! So I learned about the energy balance equation in my kinesiology lecture. Here it is:

Energy in                                                                                                             

Caloric Balance = Food Ingested    
-(minus)                                                               
Energy Out
 Metabolic Rate

Thermogenesis

Physical Activity

Energy Excreted in Waste

On the energy in side is the calories that you consume during the day. The energy out is the factors that burn those calories or get rid of them. So you can either have a positive balance or a negative balance.
For you to have a positive balance you have to consume more calories than you expend. This results in weight GAIN.
For you to be In Balance you should be consuming the same number of calories as you expend. This results in weight MAINTENANCE.
For you to have a negative balance you have to consume fewer calories than you expend. This results in weight LOSS.

So I learned the importance of diet in any weight altering goals. Diet can make or break a fitness program. This information can help anybody with the goal of trying to lose, gain, or even maintain their weight. Next time you come from a hard, rigorous workout think about what you eat and how much you eat before you pile pizza, fries, and cake on your plate.
Picture credit: http://stansberrymasonry.com/Scripts/really-thin-people

What's Your Body Made of

In my previous free post I talked about the composition of the body. Body comp! In one of the models that I described had two components that composed the body which was storage fat and essential fat. I wanted to explain what the two were and the difference between them.

Essential fat is the fat that the body needs to function properly. This fat is used for growth and functional needs. A lack of essential fats leads to multiple symptoms and disorders including abnormalities in the liver and the kidneys, reduced growth rates, decreased immune function, depression, and dryness of the skin.  Everybody has essential fat-this is your GOOD fat. Storage fat is the fat that everyone tries to exercise and burn calories to get rid of. This fat usually is stored in areas such as the abdominal region, hip/thigh region and that fat is stored in your body in case of an emergency (like starvation) so then it will have extra fat to utilize. You do not want to have a lot of storage fat because it can lead to health problems and can cause dissatisfaction in your overall figure/appearance.
Image credit: http://www.naturesmarketstore.com/body-composition/

3 Component Models of Body Comp

I  think one of the most fundamental things to know for kinesiology is the composition of the body, which basically means what is your body made up of. There are 3 different models that we can use to breakdown the components of the body. Each one entails different things that compose the body.

-The 2 Component Model:

~21% fat mass

~79% fat-free mass

-The 4 Component Model:

~21% fat mass

~58% water

~16% protein

~7% bone mineral

-The Anatomical Model:

~14% storage fat

~7% essential fat

~38% muscle

~13% bone

~11% skin

~10% organs

~7% blood

Depending on how you want to break down the body or what you are trying to observe or study you would switch between these 3 models. Everyone should be aware of what their bodies are made of and knowing this can help someone better understand things that are going on with their bodies.

Image credit: http://mylovelydietmealplans.blogspot.com/2013/05/body-weight-components.html

Prompt 9: Recognizing Significance

I found a story that hit on 10 points as to why sports medicine was important. This is significant to know because I feel like a lot of people might not accurately know all the work that a sports medicine professional does and how it can help the general population.

Sports medicine doctors help with decreasing the risk of youth obtaining a degenerative disease later on. They can assess concussions and decide if the athlete can return to play or not. They can improve athletic performance, they can help with developing a training program, and they can help to recover an athlete from injury. Sports medicine professionals can help prevent injuries and help players with medical conditions to be able to continue their sport in a safe manner.

The article states "The beauty of sports medicine is that it invites the expertise of doctors, surgeons, therapists, and homeopathic experts, alike. Furthermore, it personalizes its methods to the individual, instead of applying generalized treatments." Therefore, it can be that much more effective because the care that is received by the patient is specifically tailored for them. This treatment isn't just for elite athletes. The experise of a sports medicine professional can be beneficial to almost everyone.

Sources: http://www.naspeinfo.org/tag/importance-of-sports-medicine/
Image credit: http://ww2.fashions-cloud.com/?folio=7POYGN0G2

How to Take a Pulse Breakdown

In my previous blog post I talked about how I took a pulse at the radial side of the wrist and at the carotid artery. I just want to give some background as to where those are and how to find it and why we take pulses at those given spots.

The radial side of the wrist is the thumb side. So take your finger and follow your thumb down until you feel like a little divot or pocket right at the base of the wrist right under the thumb. You want to take the pulse with your index and middle finger. You usually take a pulse with these two fingers because you have the most sensitivity there and your thumb has its own pulse so if you used your thumb you might actually be feeling your own pulse instead of the patient's.

The carotid artery is on your neck. You would take your fingers and find the soft groove on either side of the windpipe. For both of these areas where you would take the pulse you would take it for 15 seconds, 30 seconds, or a minute. If you take it for 15 seconds you would multiply the results by 4. If you took it for 30 seconds you would multiply it by 2. You want the beats per minute.

I hope that this helps kind of explain my last blog post and gives you a better understanding of how to take and find a pulse.

Image credit:  http://www.pacemakerplus.com/?blogger=http://www.thepad.pm/2014/01/AF-Take-Pulse-Stroke.html
http://www.infomedicblogspot.com/2012/09/how-to-check-pulse-rate.html

Prompt # 8:Practicing Your Knowledge

A couple weeks ago I practiced how to take someone's pulse. Now a lot of people think that this is the most basic easiest skill to obtain but as I was practicing this skill I learned that it is not as easy as it seems. In my kinesiology lab we had to take a pulse at the radial side of the wrist, and the carotid artery. Now you have to be able to find the pulse and be able to continually feel it for at the least 15 seconds. Then do the math to find out how many beats per minute the pulse was. This type of learning was different from written/spoken sources because I actually applied the knowledge. I didn't just read about it or try to picture how to do it I actually performed it. This type of hands-on learning helps the information stick with you. After trying to find someone's pulse for about 10 minutes it revealed to me that even the most basic task calls for attentiveness and skill. I think that everybody can benefit from knowing how to find a pulse because you never know when the time might call for you to use that knowledge.

CPR steps

Last week I took a practical exam on CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation). This is when someone's heart stops beating and you have to provide care to increase the chances of survival. If a person collapses to the floor this is what you should do:
1. Check the scene- Make sure that the scene is safe around the person that has collapsed so you won't harm yourself.

2. If the scene is safe check for responsiveness- Tap their shoulders and ask them if they are okay or if they can hear u.

3. If they are unresponsive then call 911- If someone else is around have them go call.

4. Check for signs of life-check their carotid artery for a pulse and feel for breathing and see if the chest rises and falls for no more then 10 seconds.

5. Start Compressions and ventilations -Interlock your hands with one on top of the other and right at the nipple line in between the chest push down 2 inches then let up without taking hand off the body. Repeat this 30 times (so give 30 compressions) then after the 30 give 2 breaths with your mouth covering theirs. (30:2 ratio of compressions to ventilations) Do this at a rate of 100 compressions per minute.

6. Keep performing compressions until EMS arrives and can take over.

http://www.upncpr.org/Pages/adultcpr.aspx

What's your goals??

I have been working out a lot lately. I go to the gym daily and work full body every time. Last week when I went to class my professor started talking about working out. He said that if you are trying to gain muscle and build then you should take breaks in between your training. You should give your body 48 hours to rest. This is so because when you workout you are tearing your muscles down and your body calls in your satellite cells to come and repair the damaged muscles and build them up. So if gaining muscle is your goal then make sure to rest the body parts that you train or target for 48 hours.


Image credit: http://www.thefitindian.com/best-vegetarian-muscle-building-foods/

Prompt #5: Observing Community

One day in my healthy lifestyle class one of my classmates brought in a guest speaker for their presentation. His name was Piotr. He was the leader of the Adaptive Sports and Recreation Club. He talked about how the club was started to promote the physical and psychological health of individuals with disabilities. He was really trying to stress how getting able bodied individuals and disabled individuals together will create a positive space and be beneficial for everybody and their overall health. He showed a video clip that showed the individuals with disabilities participating in the different activities. It really made my day. They were not only interacting with one another and being active, but they were also having fun. The founder of the club was also disabled, so he was coming from a genuine place. He said that having this club can really impact these students' lives. He said not only will it help with their physical health but it will also help with their social health. He said that even the volunteers that weren't disabled had a lot of fun and it impacted them as well.

I believe that this is a great club and that it needs more recognition. I know that this club has nothing but good intentions and that everything that Piotr was saying to my class was honest. You cannot fake the smiles on those individuals faces that participated. He said that he tries to go out to any event and spread the word about his organization and he posts fliers as well to try to get more people involved.


Image credit: http://www.disabledgo.com/blog/2013/11/disabled-athletes-set-for-a-bigger-voice-within-bpa/

Prompt #4: Opposite Delivery Methods

After reading a blog post titled: "Just Orthopedics: Sports Medicine Blog", about kinesiology and a scholarly article called: "Warming up and Stretching for Improved Physical Performance and Prevention of Sports- Related Injuries", I have noticed some differences. In the blog post that I read, the author was talking about how physical therapy is so important for injuries and getting back to normal physically. The blog post was short and simple. It didn't drag on and on about some fancy words that anybody, other then a doctor, wouldn't be able to understand. It wasn't a five page article explaining the scientific and neurological benefits. It just was telling the average Joe that seeing a physical therapist would be pretty beneficial after experiencing an injury. The scholarly article I read was actually a summary about what the whole article was about. It was still longer than the blog post I read. It told about the advantages and benefits of stretching before and after competition. I noticed it was more detailed and specific. It sounded like it was a scholarly article. It used more advanced terminology and had references to other scientists and experts and it was longer.

The blog post seemed to target everyday people, and the article seemed to target either elite athletes or sports medicine professionals. This was apparent through the different diction used in both and the references made. I personally would trust the scholarly article because it is written by a scholar and is an excerpt from a book. It just seems more credible, but I think the blog post would relate better to the general population. We get a more relatable aspect from the blog and a more scholarly, or ;professional look at the topic with a scholarly article.

credit:
http://knee1.com/blogs/Just_Orthopedic_Sports_Medicine_Blog/What_Can_Physical_Therapists_Do_For_You
http://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00007256-198502040-00004

Why Rigor Mortis Occurs

Last week in my Kinesiology 173 course I learned the reason why rigor mortis sets in when a person is dead. Rigor Mortis is when all your muscles end up contracting and the body becomes stiff as a board and they become stuck like that.

To perform a contraction the myosin in your body has to bind to actin (filaments in the muscle), but there is Tropomyosin blocking the actin filaments from being binded with myosin. Calcium comes down and binds to Troponin, which unlocks Tropomyosin (protein blocking actin) sites on actin. Muscle fibers shorten when Myosin protein filaments pull together Actin protein filaments.

 The only way to break this bond is with ATP (adenosine triphosphate, which is energy). Once the myosin head is able to form a "Cross-Bridge" with the actin, it will begin a "Power Stroke". ATP is required to release the "Cross-Bridge" and prepare the myosin head for the next "Power Stroke".

When we die there is a release of calcium in the body and it starts the process of myosin binding to actin. Since there is no more energy after we die (ATP) then there is nothing to unbind the myosin from the actin so the muscles just contract and stay that way.

Image Credit: http://imgarcade.com/1/rigor-mortis-forensics/

Prompt #3: No Communication, No Treatment

When I went to the event last week for upcoming medical students I met a physical therapist who was going back to school to pursue to be a sports medicine doctor. He told me that he worked in the same clinic as the doctor. He told me that the misconceptions were that patients thought that whatever treatment he was going to perform on them wouldn't necessarily be disclosed with them, that they wouldn't really know what was going on. He said that before he works on a patient he would explain the process or explain any treatment that he was going to do to the patient. He said that he would describe as he was doing it so they would get a better sense of what was going on with their body.

When I asked what he had to write he told me that he would have to fill out charts about what care he was performing on the patient. He would have to document any exercises he had the patient do or any therapeutic modalities he used on the patient and to what extent. For instance if he had the patient do calf raises he would have to record that and how many sets and reps he had them do. Also if he thought it was best to do an ultrasound he would have to document that and tell how long he did it for and where was the ultrasound placed and what level was the ultrasound on.

 I learned that you have to tell the patients everything that you will be performing on them or have them do. You never want a patient not understanding what is being done to them and why it is being done. I also learned that documentation is key.

Prompt #2: Ethical or Not?

I read the code of ethics for the American College of Sports Medicine. There was one statement that stuck out to me. "Section 1: Members should strive continuously to improve knowledge and skill and make available to their colleagues and the public the benefits of their professional expertise" This specific statement stuck out to me because it is basically saying that sports medicine professionals are never quite done with their training. A member in this field is always perfecting their craft and brushing up on their methods. This is important to me because if this statement wasn't in effect then health care professionals would still be giving care like they did 20 years ago. As we ALL know that would be bad. It is very salient that people in this field are adaptable and open to change as new methods and treatments come along.

The second part of this statement says that the members should make available their knowledge and skill to their colleagues and the public. So, any information that they learn that is vital for one's well-being or health, should be spread to others. This is key for helping others for the greater good. One day there might be an incident that calls for one's expertise and the knowledge or skill of that person  could save a life. A sports medicine professional should definitely be open to sharing their information to others.

This ethical statement coincides with my ethics. I think that no one should ever be complacent with where they are at. Whether it be the knowledge of a disease, or a skill for performing a treatment I think that there is always room for improvement. Also I feel that if you know something that could help someone else out, you should want to share it.

I believe that people in my field readily follow this and I think that it is a national understanding that people in the healthcare profession are very adamant about sticking to these ethics.


Credit:
http://www.acsm.org/membership/membership-resources/code-of-ethics
Image credit: http://medicalethicspp.blogspot.com/2013/02/medical-ethics-is-intended-to-help.html

A Minority Even in My Field

Yesterday I went to a national medical field convention. It was for black students at Michigan State University who were going into the medical field. At first I was hesitant on going because I didn't understand what the speakers were going to say. Would they tell me that I am a minority in the field? Would they tell me that things are going to be harder for me? Would they tell me that I would have to become a hermit studying and preparing for tests? I've already heard this countless times before, so what else could they tell me.

I arrived at the event and took my seat. The first speaker began to talk. She went on to talk about the small number of black students that actually finish college and the small number of black students who actually make it to become a doctor. She was pondering the possiblilties as to why this was so. She eventually came to the conclusion that it was a lack of support from the families and people in the field and a lack of diversity in the staff of the colleges.

Then, the next speaker came up and he talked about his difficulties coming up in the medical field, even his difficulties when he was already established in the field performing his practice. The disrespect that he had to go through and tolerate was really disheartening to me, but he also talked about how he got through it and how he learned to shake things off and persevere.

The speakers really touched me because they seemed genuine and really told their personal experiences as far as coming up in their field. Also an overlapping theme in both their speeches was that mentoring was such a fundamental part of becoming successful. They talked to me after the program and gave me their information so I could have someone to call up if I ever needed help with anything going into my field.

I was grateful that I learned an abundance from those two keynote speakers and that they took the time to reach out to me. I know that I want to become a sports medicine doctor and I am up for the challenge!

Image Credit:
http://www.msnbc.com/melissa-harris-perry/the-doctor
http://bossip.com/1231986/a-lil-positivity-hbcu-xavier-university-sends-more-black-students-to-medical-school-than-any-other-us-college/

Prompt #1: Sports Medicine decoded

Going into the sports medicine field sounds so interesting to me and everyone that I have talked to going into that field has nothing but great things to say about it. I wonder though, what are the faults or downsides of this field. What misconceptions do I have about this field?

Well, I wonder how easy is it to actually get sued in this practice. After skimming through some pages out of the introductory textbook to Athletic Training it says that a trainer/physician/medical personnel can be liable for negligence(The failure to use ordinary or reasonable care). Negligence encompasses three things: nonfeasance, malfeasance, and misfeasance. Nonfeasance is when an individual fails to perform a legal duty. Malfeasance is when an individual commits an act that is not legally his or hers to perform. Misfeasance is when an individual improperly does something he or she has the legal right to do. So being liable is a heavy concern in the sports medicine field.

I feel like a downside to this field is having to do the tedious work of paperwork and documenting. According to the textbook a health care worker would have to document any care that is performed on a patient/ athlete. Also the individual would have to keep records of any prior health problems or irregularities. Without doing so could put one at risk for a liability claim. Also, one would need to keep those records to be able to know the patient's/athlete's "normal" (as far as their vitals, body functions, body composition or range of motion). One can only imagine how repetitive this could get having to document every form of care you give to a patient/athlete.

However, I think that there are many things that are enjoyable about this profession such as providing care that helps to heal them and get them back to performance. In the textbook it says that a trainer/ physician/ healthcare professional has to know how to be understanding of the patient/athlete. For me this would not be hard because I have been playing sports my whole life and I have had many injuries, so it would be fairly easy for me to put myself in their shoes. I think that is the biggest satisfaction from this job. To see an injured athlete heal and return to competition because of your help is the biggest reward.

I had my preconceptions about the sports medicine field but after reading through some of the introductory textbook I have gotten a better understanding of what the real deal is in this profession. I've learned some pretty valuable things from the textbook and it has not swayed my passion for sports medicine. I know that I have to be very accurate and tentative with my practices in this field but it is all for the well being of the patient/athlete.

Textbook:
Principles of Athletic Training, A Competency-Based Approach

Your Heart is Smart!

Human beings are concentrated with blood. An average adult has roughly 10 pints of blood flowing through their body. It nourishes every crease and cranny in your body, but have you ever thought about how?

The blood reaches from the top of your body to the bottom. Vice versa it has to reach from the bottom of your body back to the top. How does your body defy gravity and flow upwards? Well these were the questions I had sitting in lecture listening to my professor go on and on about the hearts job.

Well, Your heart circulates blood 1000 times each day. Arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules, and veins are the 5 types of blood vessels that help this process along. The arteries carry blood away from the heart, the arterioles are smaller vessels that branch out from the arteries, the arterioles branch into smaller vessels called capillaries, capillaries unite to form small vessels called venules, and venules join together to form larger vessels called veins which carry blood to the heart. So the arteries are high pressure vessels which can exceed the forces of gravity and cause blood to circulate into tissues above the heart. Also, valves in the venules and veins make the system a one-way loop and prevent the backflow of blood.

This is how your heart fights against gravity. I think that are bodies are wonderfully made and every part has a specific function that helps to keep us alive and working properly. The heart is a beautiful design!

Image credit:
http://firststatevein.com/images/veins-and-arteries.png