Anatomy In Motion

In the Health and Movement Science department, chair Melanie Mason, DAT, and her colleagues are learning to master an impressive new acquisition that they are very proud of: the Anatomage table.

While Mason and one group of students in the Corrective Exercise class are leaning over the table at the front of the room, another group follows along from their desks on their corresponding tablets.

The Anatomage setup adds a whole new dimension of exploration and learning to the class: it virtually strips away the anatomical layers of the human body and reveals how bones, joints, muscles and connective structures work together in motion. Simulating different movements, the students can visualize what it looks like when movement patterns are impaired, and how corrective exercise can improve mobility and stability.

The interactive educational tool is loaded with 3D anatomy, physiology and pathology data compilations for the various medical disciplines, so the very first nursing cohort on the Lamoni campus this fall will benefit from it, too.

The table came to Graceland by lucky timing: at a conference, Associate Professor of Allied Health James Geiselman, DC, met fellow chiropractic and instructor Brian Nook, DC, of the Iowa-based Palmer College of Chiropractic. Nook told him about the college’s California campus closing and reducing its inventory. After some internal rallying by Geiselman and Mason, this circumstance resulted in a great deal for Graceland’s students—shortly after, they gladly helped unpack, set up and test out the new campus asset.

Everyone’s still playing around to get the hang of the seemingly endless features and functions of the Anatomage table, but everyone who sees it bring anatomy to life already agrees, “This is so cool!”

Gathering around the Anatomage table in Melanie Mason’s ‘Corrective Exercise’ class.