BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular fitness is the ability of the heart, blood vessels, blood and respiratory system to supply fuel, especially oxygen, to the muscles and the ability of the muscles to use fuel to allow sustained exercise. Good cardiovascular fitness helps the heart to function more efficiently by allowing the heart to pump a greater volume of blood with fewer beats per minute. Fit arteries are elastic and expand to permit the free flow of blood. Regular exercise improves cardiovascular fitness and can reduce risks for heart disease. Heart rate can provide a basis for determining if a person is doing enough exercise to improve their cardiovascular fitness. Exercise that elevates the heart rate into the target heart rate zone improves cardiovascular fitness as well as improving performance in cardiovascular activities.

To take your pulse, place your index and middle finger at one of the following places: at the carotid on either side of the Adam’s apple, or at the radial artery just above the base of the thumb on the wrist. Pulse is usually recorded as beats per minute. Count the number of beats in one minute or count the number of beats in fifteen seconds and multiply the fifteen second value by four to get beats per minute. During exercise the heart rate increases but immediately begins to slow down after exercise ceases. A quick count after exercise has ceased will give the best estimate of heart rate during exercise. The working heart rate or the maximal heart rate can be used to determine the appropriate target heart rate for an individual. The maximal heart rate is less complicated to use, so we will describe the procedure here. First, subtract your age from 220 to obtain your maximal heart rate. Then, multiply the maximal heart rate by 70% to get the lower limit for the target heart rate zone. Multiply the maximal heart rate by 85% to get the upper limit for the target heart rate zone. For maximal cardiovascular benefit, the heart rate should be kept between these limits during exercise.

There are different kinds of joints in the human body. They are classified as fibrous, cartilaginous, and synovial. Fibrous joints have little or no movement. An example of a fibrous joint is the sutures of the skull, the radioulnar syndesmosis which binds the radius and ulna together in your forearm, and teeth in their sockets. Cartilaginous joints have some movement; examples are where the ribs are joined to the sternum, the junction between the symphysis pubis in the center of the pelvis, and the intervertebral disks in the spine. Synovial joints have considerable movement and include most of the other moveable joints of the body. Examples of synovial joints are the hinge joint of the knee, the ball and socket joint of the hip and shoulder, the saddle joint of the thumb and carpometacarpal joint, and the gliding joint between vertebrae.

Stations 1-6: Take your resting heart rate by placing your index and middle fingers either at the carotid artery at the side of the Adam’s apple or the radial artery just above the thumb on the wrist. Count for fifteen seconds and multiply the value by four. This is your resting heart rate. Then count how many times you take a breath for fifteen seconds and multiply by four. This is your respiratory rate. Take your temperature until the digital readout indicates your temperature. Make sure to change the plastic cover on the thermometer between each person. Now each person jog in place for two minutes and then repeat heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature.

Now look at the loose bone/s at your station. Identify the name of the bone, where it is in the body, and if it is part of joint. If the bone is part of a joint, identify the type of joint.

Discuss with your leader possible answers to the questions presented over the timeline material.

1. Did your heart rate and respiratory rate increase or decrease? Why or why not?

 

 

2. How did you feel after you jogged in place for two minutes? What do you think this means about your cardiovascular level?

 

 

3. What aspects of the bone you identified helped you to know where it came from? Were there any aspects that indicated that the bone was part of a joint? If so, what were they?

1. Why would the action of a lever be important in function of the human body?

 

 

2. If you were a soldier during the 1800’s and you had to have your leg amputated because of an injury, what year would you want to live in and why?

3. What is percussion and why would it be important in diagnosis of internal problems?