In order to increase the capacity and quality of Human Resources (HR) and welcome the rise of Indonesia’s golden generation in 2045, quality education is needed that is ready to face global challenges. Universitas Indonesia (UI) through the Vocational Education Program has made an effort to synergize vocational education with industry. One of the ways is to invite practitioners who are qualified in their fields to share knowledge and experience as was done with the Owner of Oz Physio and Founder of Exercise Research Team (EXERT), Rijal, S.Ft., Physio., M. Biomed., M.Sc.
Dr. Rijal discusses the use of kinesio taping in the case of patients with rounded shoulder posture. Rounded shoulder posture (RSP) is a change in posture found in the shoulder caused by pain or sitting for a long time because it does not match the center of gravity (COG).
According to him, exercise is one of the physiotherapy programs proven to improve rounded shoulder posture maximally, especially to reduce the degree of forward shoulder. On the other hand, these exercises do not improve functional ability, so kinesio taping is one of the tools that can be used by physiotherapists to improve rounded shoulder posture with a combination of other physiotherapy modalities such as stretching and manual therapy.
“Physiotherapy interventions to improve rounded shoulder posture will be more effective if they combine manual therapy in the form of massage which serves to improve blood circulation, then stretching to stretch the muscles that have shortened, and kinesio taping to maintain a more stable posture,” said Rijal.
Furthermore, he said that in the human shoulder there is a group of tendons that connect the upper arm bone (humerus), shoulder blade (scapula), and collarbone (clavicula) or what is commonly called the rotator cuff tendon. “The rotator cuff is formed from four muscles, namely supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis which have the main function to stabilize and support the movement of the shoulder joint by lifting the hand up, and rotating the shoulder inwards and outwards,” he said.
In the installation of kinesio taping, Rijal said that attention must be paid to the method of use which must be in accordance with the location of the rotator cuff muscles. He explained that kinesio taping functions as stabilization, so its use is not allowed to restrict the movement of the scapula and cervical, thoracal, and lumbar vertebrae.
UI Vocational Director appreciates the collaboration with the practitioner lecturers. “The knowledge provided by industry lecturers in certain fields is an advantage for our students to know the conditions in the field and how to overcome them,” said UI Vocational Education Program Director Padang Wicaksono, S.E., Ph.D., at an industrial talk entitled “Comprehensive Approach for Rounded Shoulder Posture based on Evidence Based Practice” held last June.
In his speech during the lecture that presented guest lecturers from the industrial world by the UI Vocational Physiotherapy Study Program, Padang expressed his hope that UI Vocational graduates would be ready to enter the industrial world after studying. “Health education is an issue that needs to be considered and understood by the community. We also have a Vocation Wellness Center as a health center in the fields of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy as well as a teaching factory for students in studying and handling patient cases such as rounded shoulder posture cases,” he said.
The Vocation Wellness Center was established in February 2022 with services intended for UI residents and the general public. Health services provided at VWC include speech therapy, acupuncture, sensory integration, baby massage, snoezelen / relaxation therapy, and other therapeutic services.
