Category: General

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Blog series: fitness and physiotherapy (part 2)

Towards to the competition stages

I started exercising regularly in August 2021. Then I was doing regular gym workouts without a coach. At that time, my training lacked a sense of purpose and progression, meaning that my development was not optimal or as fast as it could be. Initially, I was training in the gym about 3-5 times a week. Afterwards, my workouts were quite one-sided and there should have been more variety in repetitions, sets and movements. Diet also played far too small a role. I ate too little, as I didn’t understand at all how much I should have eaten in order to improve.

Over time, I began to learn and understand more.  I joined fitness in October 2023, so I’m still very much in the early stages of the sport. However, I have been interested in fitness for several years now. As my training progressed, I wanted to find a coach who I could learn more from and who could help me monitor my progress. Because I knew that without a coach, the results could be disastrous at worst, given my lack of previous experience in the sport. In the end, I found my coach half by accident. I went for an Inbody measurement in October 2023. At that time, the measurement officer, my current coach, and I started talking about fitness. Within a week the contract was signed. The plans for the future were made very quickly, as we decided right from the start that I would be competing in the autumn of 2024. This is the last year that I will compete in the junior series, which was also one of the reasons for the fast start. Stage performance plays a big role in Fitness also and I already enjoy performing in gymnastics, so fitness seemed like the right choice for me.

My coach made me a frame for my diet and a set training programme, which I have now been following for more than six months. I trained 4 times a week in the off-season. Now I work out 4 times a week in the gym and twice a week doing aerobic activities such as walking and cycling. Running is not my thing. Towards the end of the season, the aerobic exercise numbers increase somewhat.

In addition to training, there are many essential aspects of fitness. You need to get enough sleep and rest, and your diet needs to be diverse and healthy. And at regular intervals, you need to take a week off from training. Possibly, and hopefully at least during Midsummer, I will be able to refuel, i.e. eat more and eat more freely. At the beginning, it’s impossible to know everything for sure, but as the diet progresses, we’ll know better how my progress is going. The most important thing about the diet is that you get the right amount of all the essential nutrients, rather than what foods you eat exactly. Of course, you shouldn’t compromise the purity of your food.

Now, in preparation for competitions, I record my weight and sleep daily for my coach to see. I try to get at least eight hours of sleep a night. On top of this, once a week I measure my waist, thigh and arm circumferences for my coach. Inbody measurements are something I did at least in the beginning of the diet and are part of the end of the diet. These also allow me to monitor my progress myself. Since appearance and eating play such a big role in fitness, you have to have a good relationship with your body image and food when you start the sport. In addition, your mind and life situation must be such that it does not negatively affect your diet progress, for example.

Studying physiotherapy is very useful in my sport, as I have a better understanding of how the body works and the effects of diet and physical activity. Not everything has been completely new to me, my coach complements my own knowledge. My knowledge of human anatomy also helps me to understand the effects of training on my body. The studies also help me to better understand the different risks involved, for example in gym training and overall health. In addition, I found courses such as load physiology and health measurement more interesting than some of my fellow students, as the topics are close to my interests and my own sport.

Ideation and planning: Sarianna Virtanen, Suvi Rantala & Heini Lehtiranta

Interview: Heini Lehtiranta & Suvi Rantala

Subject matter: Sarianna Virtanen

Writing: Heini Lehtiranta

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Blog series: fitness and physiotherapy

From gymnast to fitness athlete

I’m Sarianna Virtanen, 23-years-old young woman. At the moment I live in Pori, but I come from a small village in Kanta-Häme. I am studying physioterapy for the second year at Satakunta University of Applied Sciences in Pori. Right now, I’m doing a practice at the Soteekki service centre for a total of seven weeks.

When I was younger, I practiced aesthetic group gymnastics for a total of 14 years, both at the Finnish championship level and the competitive level in Forssan voimistelijat and Turun Pyrkivä. From a young age, sport has been a great passion of mine and this is reflected in my hobbies, my choice of studies and in my future job dreams.

After I stopped competing in gymnastics in spring 2017, I continued my hobby with my team for my own pleasure in a more relaxed way. Due to the low number of team gymnasts, it was no longer possible to keep the team together. After gymnastics, I continued my sport by doing home workouts and going to the gym. And that’s how it happened, I fell in love with gym training. After a couple of years of regular training I wanted to have a goal for my training and my dream was to one day combine gym training and competition. So nowadays my sport has changed from gymnastics to fitness. Currently training towards the bikini fitness Finnish championships. Now I will see what fitness can offer me and whether I can succeed and achieve my dreams in the sport. Or will my sport change in the future?

My interest in physiotherapy is born out of my background in competitive sports. The coach of my gymnastics team was a physiotherapist by profession and through her I have gained a good understanding of physiotherapy as a profession. I am also interested in working with people and helping them in a variety of ways. I would like to specialise in sports in the future and work with top gymnasts, for example.

I applied to study physiotherapy twice and the third time I got into school through an open route. I would like to do my part to raise awareness of the pathway to school. SAMK treats open pathway students in the same way as degree students.  Only the support provided by KELA distinguished me from degree students, although there may of course be differences between schools. 

Fun fact: My first competition prep started last Monday! 

This is the start of a small blog series written by three physiotherapy students. The topics of the blog series revolve around fitness, gym training and studying physiotherapy.

Ideation and planning: Sarianna Virtanen, Suvi Rantala ja Heini Lehtiranta

Interview: Heini Lehtiranta ja Suvi Rantala

Subject matter: Sarianna Virtanen

Writing: Heini Lehtiranta

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Education and career opportunities of a physiotherapists

In this blog, we’ll dive into education and the career opportunities of a physiotherapists that open up after graduation.

A physiotherapist is a professional who promotes people’s functional capacity, health, well-being, and mobility. Physiotherapist expertise is particularly needed when aging, disability, pain, illness, functional impairment, or when factors in an individual’s daily life limit their functional capacity (Opintopolku.fi). Physical therapist is a legally protected professional title, which means that only individuals who have completed the required education have the right to work as licensed physical therapists and practice the profession. The activities are supervised by the Regional State Administrative Agencies (AVI) and the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (VALVIRA).

A physical therapist holds a bachelor’s degree from a university of applied sciences, and the studies last for 3.5 years, totaling 210 ECTS credits. In Finland, physical therapy can be studied at 17 different schools, one of them offers studies in Swedish, and the only English-language program in the Nordic countries is offered at SAMK. In addition to international degree, SAMK is the only university of applied sciences in Finland offering education in animal physiotherapy.

Typically, during the first year of studies, students familiarize themselves with basic knowledge such as fundamentals of anatomy, community engagement, client-centered communication, principles of guidance, functional capacity and its assessment, accessibility, biomechanics, motor learning, and therapeutic training. At Satakunta University of Applied Sciences, there is no internships during the first year, allowing time to dive into these basics. When students’ progress in their studies, their theoretical knowledge of physical therapy deepens. In the final year, the focus is on research, development, and innovation skills. In summary, the entire physical therapist degree consists of basic studies, professional studies, internships, and a thesis.

A physiotherapist can work in various places such as hospitals, health centers, private physiotherapy clinics, sports clubs, etc. The career opportunities for physiotherapists are diverse and vary depending on individual interests, specialization, and work experience. Here are a few examples of demanding career opportunities for specialization:

  • Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy: This career focuses specifically on working in sports and exercise. Physical therapists can work with sports clubs, fitness centers, or coaching programs, helping athletes improve their performance and prevent injuries.
  • Occupational Physiotherapy: Occupational physiotherapists help employees maintain their health and well-being in the workplace. They can design ergonomic workstations, provide advice on proper work practices, and treat work-related injuries and conditions. To work as an occupational physiotherapist, additional training and qualifications are required.
  • Pediatric Physiotherapy: Pediatric physiotherapist works with children who need help with developing motor skills, such as children with developmental delays or neurological challenges.
  • Orthopedic Manual Therapy: OMT physiotherapy focuses on examining, assessing, and treating musculoskeletal problems. This treatment method is based on manual therapy techniques such as joint mobilization, manipulation, and soft tissue manipulation. OMT physiotherapy emphasizes holistic care and clinical reasoning. Only physical therapists and doctors can apply for this specialization, and the duration of this education is 2.5 years.
  • Education and Research: Some physios may pursue careers in teaching or research, development, and innovation activities (RDI). They can work at universities, universities of applied sciences, healthcare training institutions, or research institutes teaching future physiotherapists or participating in clinical research.
  • Management Positions and Consultancy: Experienced physical therapists can advance to management positions in healthcare organizations or work as consultants in the healthcare industry, providing advice and expertise in physiotherapy. If one is interested in management positions and consultancy, it is advisable to strengthen one’s expertise by completing a higher education degree in university of applied sciences or a master’s program in physical therapy at a university.

Working as a physio does not necessarily require specialized training, so after graduation, one can work in “basic-level positions” such as in nursing homes, with assistive devices, and in hospital/health center wards, where physiotherapists are responsible for health and functional capacity promotion and maintenance guidance, various therapeutic exercises, and manual therapy.

Currently, I am a second-year physiotherapy student in the international program. I have enjoyed my studies a lot, and this career feels right for me. Before starting my internship in Soteekki, I completed one internship in geriatrics, which I enjoyed a lot. During the internship, my feeling that I had chosen the right career strengthened. After graduation, my dream would be to specialize in OMT physiotherapy and/or maternity physiotherapy. There is such a big variety of specialization possibilities in physical therapy, and each one seems truly interesting. Therefore, it’s possible that my current dream about the future career path may change as my studies progress.

So, if rehabilitation and health promotion, as well as a people-centered field, interest you, physical therapy is a good career choice for that.

– Alexandra

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INTERNATIONAL STUDENT AS A NURSE

My name is Megha Gurung. I am from Nepal. My native language is Nepali. I completed a diploma program in nursing in my own country. I spent 2.5 years working as a scrub nurse in a hospital after finishing my education. I’ve always desired to pursue my nursing bachelor’s degree overseas. I was advised to study in Finland by one of my friends. And I did some research on Finland’s educational system. Finland ranks as the happiest and safest country in the world, and it provides among the best educational systems, according to my research. I chose to continue my education in Finland. I applied to Satakunta University of Applied Science, and fortunately, SAMK extended an offer to me.

In March 2022, I traveled to Finland. Starting the course was difficult at first since I was unfamiliar with Moodle. It takes a month to become adept at using Moodle. I noticed while studying that the educational system in this country differs from ours. In Finland, a course lasts for one semester, whereas in my home country, a course lasts for a full year. In my country, we take our exams on paper, but here, the exam is conducted on a computer. For a single course exam are taken three times here, but in my country, final exams are only taken once. I’ve previously studied nursing, so I can learn or get acquainted with the material easily. I have also done clinical practice in acute care hospitals and senior homes in Finland. While I’m practicing in Finland and working as a nurse in my home country, the day shift is six hours long and the night shift is twelve hours long. However, here, the day shift is eight hours long and the night shift is ten hours long. In my home country, the nurse-to-patient ratio is 2:20; a single nurse handles or is responsible for doing medication, dressing, admission, discharge, and medication ordering simultaneously. However, in Finland, a single nurse tends to at least 4 patients, with task distribution. A medication nurse looks after medicine, while a primary care nurse looks after basic patient care. While the workload is not as heavy as it would be in my native country. The rule about working that I liked the most was that there were two or three times breaks. It enables the employee to recover and rejuvenate so they can work without being fatigued. In my home country we receive monthly salary but here in Finland they are paid on an hourly basis.

For me, language is the only thing that is challenging. As far as I’m aware, finnish is one of the hardest languages in existence. I’ve been living in Finland for almost two years now. Speaking and understanding finnish continues to be difficult for me. As an international student with a background in nursing, I’m constantly looking for part-time work in home care. Sadly, work experience as a nurse is not valued here unless we understand the language. Working in hospital or elderly care center requires fluency in Finnish. I’m trying to learn Finnish, but it’s challenging. I am scheduled to graduate in a year. It occasionally worries me what would happen if my language skills do not match those of a finnish even after graduation.

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Christmas Miracle to Ukraine

What was this event about?

At the end of November some students from Soteekki participated in a Christmas present activity. It was organized by Ohjaamo in collaboration with the Diakonia University of Applied Sciences. The idea was, to send Christmas presents to children in the Ukraine. So, people from the area of Pori could bring gifts and we – meaning, all the volunteers – would then put together nice packages with different items and wrap them.

The whole event lasted for one week. Of course, this doesn’t include all the preparations that have been done in advance by the organizers. On Monday and Tuesday people could bring their gifts. During those two days, as well as on Thursday, all the presents were wrapped. Finally, on Friday, the packages were loaded to the truck of Fida International and shipped to Ukraine.

What did the students of Soteekki do there?

The students of Soteekki were offered the opportunity to work on this project for the week and gather working hours and receive a certificate. Once we arrived, we helped in all the different activities. We were there to receive the presents and thank the donors. A big part of our work was to help with the present wrapping. Finally, we also packed the packages into huge boxes to store them safely for their journey.

What do the students think about the event?

It was a very lovely experience. There were so many people donating presents – especially handmade wool socks. It was heartwarming to meet the people who just spent their money for kids they don’t know and from whom they won’t get any reaction or a personal thank you. Wrapping the presents was sometimes very hard, as there were also items like teddy bears or toy tractors. However, we had a lot of fun and it was good to practice our skills as Christmas time was coming up.

What is happening to the presents now?

The presents were shipped to the Ukraine and arrived there at the beginning of December. Fida International distributed the presents to children living in the front line and to orphans. You can find more information of the journey of the presents under “Ukrainan Kansalle” on the internet and Instagram.

https://ukrainankansalle.fi/

https://www.pori.fi/uutinen/etusivun-uutiset/ohjaamo-porin-ja-diakonia-ammattikorkeakoulun-monikulttuurinen-ohjaustyo-ohjaamossa-hankkeen-christmas-miracle-to-ukraine-joululahjakerays-onnistui-yli-odotusten/24/11/2023/

https://www.diak.fi/hakeminen/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIp9SZ2rb_ggMVDQCiAx2iygGIEAAYASAAEgJSZfD_BwE

https://ohjaamot.fi/?utm_source=GoogleAds&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=ohjaamoviikko23&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIv5-lz7b_ggMVNReiAx2k-gcaEAAYASAAEgKVnPD_BwE

https://www.instagram.com/ohjaamo_pori/

Foto from: sunfish.photography

#christmaspresentstoukraine

Writers: Anna Hagmann, Vilma Kaisla & Jemina Nurminen

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Finnish Independence Day 6.12.

What is Independence Day?

Independence Day is celebrated in honor of Finland’s independence in 1917. Finland has been under Swedish rule and joined the Russian Empire in 1809. When the Russian emperor fell down in November 1917, Finland’s independence began to progress. Finland’s declaration of independence was approved by the parliament in 1917. Independence Day is a serious celebration in its background, which related to commemorating the war and those who fell in the war. Independence Day is celebrated on December 6. annually, which is a public holiday that is observed as a paid day off nationwide. In 2023, independent Finland will turn 106 years old.

How is Independence Day celebrated?

Since the time of the first president of Finland, the tradition has been the Independence Day Reception at the Presidential Palace, the parade of the Finnish Defense Forces and torchlight processions, such as the parade of scouts and high school students. Other Independence Day traditions include the Independence Day service, the raising the flag of Finland at Tähtitorninmäki, the children’s Independence Day party, showing of the movie Unknown Soldier, a visit to the hero’s graves and the cemetery, and the lighting of two candles. In terms of music, the national anthem, the Porilainen march, the Finlandia anthem and the veterans’ evening shout are essential to Independence Day.

Independence Day celebrations in Satakunta:

Pori

– 5.12. Patriotic concert at 18-19.30 pm, Central Pori Church

– 6.12. Ice show, 12-14 pm, Enersense Arena

– 6.12. Independence Day celebration, 13.00-15.00 pm, Promenade Hall

Kankaanpää

– 6.12 Independence Day celebration, 10-14 am, Kankaanpää Church, Kankaanpää Hall

Nakkila

– 6.12. Independence Day concert, 10-12.30 am, Nakkila church

Harjavalta

– 6.12 Independence Day celebration, 10-13.45 am, Harjavalta Church

What does an independent Finland mean for us in Soteekki?

For us, independent Finland means freedom, pride in our own country, having our own language and culture. The safety of walking outside. Freedom of choice, democracy. We can be our own country and we do not have to be under control by any other country. And of course, a paid day off or a double paid working day.

Writers: Hagmann Anna & Kaisla Vilma

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Bright light lamps

Bright light lamps, do I need that?

When I – as a foreigner – heard about the bright light lamps for the first time, I was sceptical about it. I didn’t believe that these lamps should really help with my tiredness, as I didn’t even accept that my sleepiness was coming from the lack of sunlight (against what the lamps help). Nevertheless, I started reading about bright light therapy and started to see the logic behind it. Eventually, I tried working in front of such a lamp and it helped me a lot to get over my tiredness. So, in the following, you will see all the information, that made my try the lamp and an explanation on how to use it, if you get convinced, too!

Let’s start at the beginning. Every human being underlies different cycles, which influence sequences and processes in the body. Many of those cycles repeat themselves after one day. For that reason, they are called circadian (circa = about, dia = day) rhythms. One, for this article important circadian rhythm, is called sleep-wake cycle.

The sleep-wake cycle influences the human’s energy and activity levels and is affected by environmental cues, such as sunlight. Therefore, when the body is exposed to sunlight, serotonin is produced, generating alertness, and helping us to stay awake and active. At night, when the light outside diminishes, the internal clock initiates the production of melatonin, helping the organism to fall – and stay asleep.

However, what happens at this time of the year, as there is not much daily sunlight and most of the daytime is spend indoors? Logically, we won’t get enough sunlight. This causes an inadequate production of serotonin and melatonin, which in turn, leads to tiredness, fatigue, lack of motivation and in severe cases even to depression and insomnia.

This is where bright light therapy comes in. Bright light lamps mimic the natural sunlight and can therefore start serotonin and melatonin production, too. They replace the lost sunlight and help us to have more energy and positivity during the day and allow us to fall asleep easier at night. Thereby, bright light lamps can not only be used to replace lost sunlight due to the fall and winter season, but also help with various disorders such as SAD (= seasonal affective disorder), depression, dementia or even jet lag.

Finally, how should you use these lamps?

There is still a lot of research going on about that topic and it also depends on the reason for using the bright lamps. However, for the replacement of sunlight and activation of the body system, it is suggested to sit every morning at least 30min in front of the lamp. You should never look directly at the lamp, but your eyes should always be opened, so a simple reading, working or even eating would be possible.

If you now want to try it as well, you will find the bright light lamps in the SAMK Library every weekday (Monday to Friday). From Wednesday to Friday, there will be a program near the lamps from 08:00 to 10:00 am.

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/circadian-rhythm

https://www.day-lights.com/homepage/how-light-therapy-works/

Writers: Anna Hagmann, Vilma Kaisla & Jemina Nurminen

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Tattoos in Social and Health Care

History of tattoos

It is impossible to say exactly where the tattoos came from. Tattoos have been done for a long time all over the world. Tattoos have been widely associated with crime and in the past tattoos have been used to mark prisoners, soldiers, sex workers and others.

The earliest signs of tattoos can be seen as far back as 10 000 years in different human cultures. Different tattoo cultures exist in different parts of the world. Tattoos have appeared in Europe as early as the 1700s and 1800s. The so-called “new tattoo” appeared in the West in the 1960s and in Finland later. The purpose of the modern tattoo is to shape the body and to reflect the individual’s own identity.

In ancient times, tattoos were made by breaking the skin of the area to be tattooed with a fish tooth, a sharp stone, a sharpened bone, or a wooden stick. It was not until the 1700s that the Maori (or indigenous people of New Zealand) began to use metal needles to tattoo, making the images more symmetrical.

In Finland, the first official tattoo studios were established only in the late 1980s, because until then the health authorities refused to give permission, citing health concerns.

Tattoos today in Social and Health Care

Today, tattoos have become more common in the world and their visibility in the street scene is quite widespread. People’s attitudes towards tattoos have changed over time, as tattoos have become part of people’s identity and many people want to express themselves through their images.

Previously visible tattoos may have had an impact on getting a job and may have prejudiced the jobseeker. For example, tattoos may have been associated with crime, different religions and even evil spirits. Today, there is a more tolerant attitude towards tattoos and tattoos should not affect access to employment in the social and health sectors. However, some people, especially older people, may still have assumptions about tattoos.

Benefits of Tattoos in Social and Healthcare

Tattoos are body modifications, body art or art therapy.

  • Individuals with tattoos have a high esteem or self-image.
  • Improves the individual’s perception about themselves.
  • Gives individual the feeling of belonging to a community that is important to them.
  • Boost the immune system because when you get a tattoo your body believes you’re being wounded, thus your immune response kicks into gear and your body acts to defend you from invaders, heal the wound and protect you.
  • Getting tattoos helps you to adapt to stressful situations and potentially enhance the body to release less cortisol under future stress (HUSH Anesthetic, 2021).

Risks of Tattoos in Social and Healthcare

  • Persons with tattoos can experience discrimination, depreciation and prejudice.
  • The application process damages the skin causing blood clot around the broken blood vessels and creating a bruise.
  • Causes aseptic inflammation.
  • Can cause allergic reactions and hypersensitivity due to the tattoo ink because the inks contain substances that can cause allergies (green ink-chromium, blue ink- cobalt and yellow ink-cadmium)
  • Tattoos can lead to keloids which are formations of fibrous scar tissue caused by excessive tissue repair in response to trauma or incision.
  • Tattoo colors promote cell stress and weaken mitochondria function. For instance, the black tattoo dye contains benzopyrene, phenol concentrations and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that reduce the mitochondrial activity of the skin cells thus limiting its health.

Soteekki students interviews

Anonymous

  1. What tattoos means to you?

Tattoos are means of self-expression and what I like. I want to showcase my relationship with my family through them.

  • What kind of reactions you have got from clients or colleagues about your tattoos?

Most of them thought it’s cute as they were small and not overly complicated in design.

  • What word comes first in your mind when you hear a word “tattoo”?

Self-expression.

  • What is your motivation for doing tattoos?

Memories that I always want to cherish.

Yalin

  1. What tattoos means to you?

It means that they’re a part of me and they all have individual meanings that’s why I got them.

  • What kind of reactions you have got from clients or colleagues about your tattoos?

Most of them thought it was cool that I got, and some said it was a shame that I inked my skin, asked me why I would do that to myself which was mainly older people.

  • What word comes first in your mind when you hear a word “tattoo”?

I think about myself when I hear it.

  • What is your motivation for doing tattoos?

I started when I was 17 and I started doing it because of my father who passed, but I couldn’t stop getting them after that.

Lähteet

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5868782/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5632599/

https://hushanesthetic.com/blogs/community/health-benefits-of-tattoos

http://www.artlinetattoo.com/

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Fall 2023 first Soteekki group

This post is written by three social work students, and we want to tell what is involved in a multi-professional entrepreneurship internship at Soteekki. In total, 133 hours are allocated to the entrepreneurial internship in the social work sector, including initial information, final feedback, orientation and writing the internship report.

At Soteekki, we work in a multidisciplinary team together with nurses and physiotherapists. Students on the English-language course also do their training at Soteekki, so you will certainly have the opportunity to discuss and implement plans in English. Soteekki is a great opportunity to learn social vocabulary in English.

Social workers work with different groups of clients, such as the elderly, children and people with intellectual disabilities. Working days include planning and implementing services. Currently in Soteekki, Monday and Tuesday are reserved for service planning and the rest of the days for actually doing the service. From a social worker’s point of view, visits to clients must always be client-oriented, listening to the client’s wishes and working in cooperation with other members of the team.

As in the field, you can plan and write reports, so if you are thinking about working as a supervisor you can learn about paperwork here. Students are mainly responsible about planning and implementing the services. But you can always ask for help!

Interviews:

We interviewed students from different programs about Soteekki internship.

Two social service students:

What are you studying and for how long your practice is going to last? – We are studying Bachelor of social services and our practice is 5 weeks long.

How do you bring your own expertise in Soteekki? – We approach the client in a holistic way and bring our social skills to the services. We also bring good energy to the work community.

What is the best thing in Soteekki? – Definitely the people and free coffee. Nice clients and services are also best.

Nursing student:

What are you studying and for how long your practice is going to last? – I’m a nursing student and my practice in Soteekki lasts 5 weeks.

How do you bring your own expertise in Soteekki? – I always focus on the client’s overall well-being and safety.

What is the best thing in Soteekki?  – The best thing about Soteekki is working with students from different programs, because you get to see and share different perspectives with others.

Physiotherapy student:

What are you studying and for how long your practice is going to last? – I’m a physiotherapy student and my practice lasts 6 weeks.

How do you bring your own expertise in Soteekki? – I always try to find something physical to do with the client and try to bring my own expertise to the service.

What is the best thing in Soteekki? – As students we are responsible for all the planning and doing, so you learn a lot and get to work with students from different programs.

Soteekki’s autumn season has gotten off to a good start, and services are being implemented and planned at a good pace. Practice in Soteekki goes by really fast when there is a lot to do. We wish everyone a good continuation of autumn!

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World Parkinson Day – 11th April 

Written by Italian Physiotherapy student Sara Giovanardi

April 11th is the birthday of Dr. James Parkinson, the first physician to recognise Parkinson’s as a medical condition. 

In 2005 the tulip was adopted as the official symbol of Parkinson’s during the 9th World Parkinson’s disease day conference. However, the flower had been informally associated with the disease for more than 20 years prior to that. 

In fact in 1980, a Dutch horticulturalist named J. W. S Van del Wereld, who was living with Parkinson’s, developed a new red and white variant of the tulip and he named it the dr. James Parkinson tulip, in honour of the doctor. 

Today wearing the red tulip raises awareness and shows support for people living with Parkinson’s and their family globally. 

About Parkinson’s disease 

It’s a progressive disorder that affects the nervous system and causes unintended or uncontrollable movements. Symptoms usually begin gradually and they may be barely noticeable but they worsen over time.  

Anyone could be at risk for developing Parkinson’s but some research suggest this disease affects more men than women even though it’s unclear why. 

One clear risk is age: most people with Parkinson’s develop the first symptoms after age 60, about 5-10% experience onset before age 50. 

Early-onset of Parkinson’s are often inherited and some forms are linked to specific genes alterations. 

Many researchers now believe that Parkinson’s results from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. 

Common symptoms 

Certain nerve cells (neurons) in the brain gradually break down or die. Many of the symptoms are due to a loss of neurons that produce a chemical messenger in our brain called dopamine. When the dopamine levels decrease, it causes atypical brain activity, leading to impaired movement and other symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. 

Early symptoms of this disease are subtle and occur gradually. They are usually divide in Motor and Non-Motor symptoms. 

  • Tremor in hands, arms, legs, jaw, or head 
  • Muscle stiffness, where muscle remains contracted for a long time 
  • Slowness of movement 
  • Impaired balance and coordination, sometimes leading to falls 
  • Depression and other emotional changes 
  • Difficulty swallowing, chewing, and speaking 
  • Urinary problems or constipation  
  • Skin problems 

An interesting fact is that many people with Parkinson’s desease notes that prior to experience all this symptoms they had problem sleeping, constipation and loss of smell! 

Although there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, medicine, surgical treatment and other therapies can often relieve some symptoms, and if the symptoms improve after starting to take the medication, it’s a very solid indicator that the person has Parkinson’s. The most common medicine is Levodopa, it helps the brain cells to release dopamine. 

For the people who do not respond well to medication, one surgical treatment that was found to be very successful is deep brain stimulation. A doctor implant electrodes into part of the brain and connects them to a small electrical device implanted in the chest. The device stimulates specific areas in the brain that control movement in a way that may help stop many of the movement-related symptoms of Parkinson’s. 

Prevention and interesting facts 

Because the cause of Parkinson’s is unknown, there are no proven ways to prevent the disease. 

Some research has shown that people who consume caffeine – which is found in coffee, tea and cola – get Parkinson disease less often than those who don’t drink it. Green tea is also related to a reduced risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. However, it is still not known whether caffeine protects against getting Parkinson’s or is related in some other way. Currently there is not enough evidence to suggest that drinking caffeinated beverages protects against Parkinson’s. 

It is however possible to have a good to great quality of life with PD. You have to work with your doctor to create a plan to stay healthy. This might include a referral to a neurologist, care from an occupational therapist, physical therapist or speech therapist, meeting with a medical social worker to talk about how Parkinson’s will affect your life, start a regular exercise program to delay further symptoms! Another very important thing to do is talk with family and friends who can provide you with the psychological and emotional support you need. 

A story about Parkinson  

Mags’s diagnosis coincided with the life-changing events of relocating, retirement and her mum passing away. 

“Looking back, I almost felt worse before I found out about Parkinson’s than I did afterwards,” says Mags. “I was definitely not very buoyant at points - that’s probably the best way to put it.” 

Since then, Mags has been quietly determined. “I’ve achieved more than I expected and Parkinson’s has almost been irrelevant in that. 

“Of course, a day without it would be quite nice to experience,” she concedes. “I’m stiffer than I used to be – I used to skip over stiles, but I now take things a bit more slowly and steady. 

“I also don’t sleep as well as I did. Although lots of people I know don’t sleep too well, so that may just be an age thing! 

“But my family is a huge support and I have some lovely friends I’ve made through the running community – all people I never knew 10 years ago. 

“My aim has always been to keep control of the condition. For me, when it comes to Parkinson’s, there are no barriers.” 

https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/information-and-support/your-magazine/stories/when-it-comes-parkinsons-there-are-no-barriers

https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/parkinsons-disease

https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/parkinsons-disease

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/parkinsons-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20376055