Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Do you know where your popliteus is?

Popliteus.

That's my new word for today. My chiropractor taught it to me.

Actually, he poked and prodded my popliteus as part of my treatment today. First time anyone ever has, as far as I can recall.

I laughed. He got a puzzled look on his face and asked, "That doesn't tickle, does it?"

"No," I said. "It hurts!"

After six months, he is still sometimes unsure when I break out laughing whether it is due to tickling or pain. He should know by now... It's pain. He's never tickled me, not even unintentionally. It's always pain. It's a reflex reaction ... one I have grown accustomed to over these months of physical treatments of various sorts on my knee.

"What is that?" I asked, immediately following it up with, "I mean, what's it called?"

"It's your popliteus."

"Sounds Greek," I mused, trying to distract my brain from the pain it was registering by partaking in one of my favorite sports: guessing the origins of new words.

"It may be... I took a Latin and Greek medical terminology course as part of my degree. I think you might be right. I don't think it's Latin." He replied back, as he actively released the popliteus itself.

He noticed that the distraction was useful though and continued, "In the U.S. they say it 'pop-lit-EE-us'. But in England, they would say 'pop-LIT-ee-us'. I guess in Canada, we would go either way."

As my brain was focussing on the placement of the word stress, he quickly finished up.

So let me ask you this: Do you know where YOUR popliteus is today?

I for one, am well aware exactly where mine is...

8 comments:

Sarah said...

I googled, so now I know. ; )

Hope yours is feeling better!

Backofpack said...

Um, no. But I know where my kids are. And my kidneys. Does that count?

Unknown said...

Should he really be touching you there?

Sarah Elaine said...

Very funny, Rob! You better be careful or I'll ask Ms. BoP to poke you in the popliteus! She might even do it in her new snazzy running sandals!

wthenrest said...

I love new words especially ones that sound dirty...lol

Janice Seagraves said...

Hi Sarah,

I did a quick search on popliteus and it rotates the tibia medially on the femur & femur laterally on the tibia, depending on the one fixed;
- in a minority of pts, it withdraws the meniscus during flexion, and provides rotatory stability to the femur on the tibia;
- helps to brings the knee out of the position of full extension;
- helps with posterior stability of the knee in preventing posterior translation of the tibia on the femur.

Soit on the knee right?

Janice~

Turtle Guy said...

Thanks Jan - I needed that! Um... what Janice said... yah...

(I'm not saying my popliteus is where hers is, by any means... but...)

Moving forward.

Sarah Elaine said...

OK, OK, that's enough, everyone!

Yes, Janice is right. It's in the back of the knee.

Well... clearly it's time for a new topic! Stay tuned...