Palpations

Question 1

Does the patient/therapist position to palpate the external occipial protuberance matter?

Answer 1

No

Question 2

How do you palpate the external occipital protuberance?

Answer 2

Climb up the spinous processes until you find a big bump.

Question 3

Is the external occipital protuberance level with the ear?

Answer 3

Yes

Question 4

What is a tip to palpate the external occipital protuberance?

Answer 4

After you climbed up the spinous processes use the circle motion to help find the occipital protuberance

Question 5

What is the patient position for palpating the mastoid process?

Answer 5

Supine

Question 6

What is the therapist position for palpating the mastoid process?

Answer 6

Behind the patient

Question 7

How do you palpate the mastoid process?

Answer 7

Locate the distal portion of the ear lobe and slide posterior to that

Question 8

What is the patient position for palpating the transverse process of C1?

Answer 8

Supine

Question 9

What is the therapist position for palpating the transverse process of C1?

Answer 9

Behind the patient

Question 10

How do you palpate the transverse process of C1? What muscle do you have to be posterior to?

Answer 10

Locate the mastoid process, move inferior and make sure you are posterior to the SCM, and push your finger into the skin until you feel a protuberance moving into your finger

Question 11

What is the patient position for palpating the spinous process of C2?

Answer 11

Prone

Question 12

What is the therapist position for palpating the spinous process of C2?

Answer 12

In front of the patient

Question 13

How do you palpate the spinous process of C2?

Answer 13

Start from C7 and follow the spinous processes to the external occipital protuberance region and slide down until you find the first bony prominence

Question 14

Does the patient position matter when palpating the spinous process of C7?

Answer 14

No

Question 15

How do you palpate the spinous process of C7?

Answer 15

Ask the patient to flex their neck and feel the bony prominence that pops out

Question 16

What is the patient position for palpating the spinous process of T1?

Answer 16

Seated

Question 17

How do you palpate the spinous process of T1?

Answer 17

You ask the patient to flex their neck, palpate C7, and find the next bony prominence inferior

Question 18

What is the patient position for palpating the acromion?

Answer 18

Seated or standing

Question 19

What is the therapist position for palpating the acromion?

Answer 19

In front of the patient

Question 20

How do you palpate the acromion?

Answer 20

Follow the clavicle laterally until you find a bony prominence

Question 21

What is the patient position when palpating the iliac crest?

Answer 21

Standing or supine

Question 22

What is the therapist position when palpating the iliac crest?

Answer 22

Behind the patient or beside the patient

Question 23

How do you palpate the iliac crest?

Answer 23

Slide down the patients side of their midsection until you find the top of their hip bone

Question 24

What is the patient position when palpating the ASIS?

Answer 24

Standing or supine

Question 25

What is the patient position when palpating the ASIS?

Answer 25

In front of the patient or beside the patient

Question 26

How do you palpate the ASIS?

Answer 26

Find the iliac crest, go slightly medially and inferiorly until you find a bony prominence

Question 27

What is the patient position when palpating the PSIS?

Answer 27

Standing or prone

Question 28

What is the therapist position when palpating the PSIS?

Answer 28

Behind the patient or beside of the patient

Question 29

How do you palpate the PSIS?

Answer 29

Locate the iliac crests and go medially until you find the dimple like bumps

Question 30

The PSIS is found at what vertebral level?

Answer 30

S2

Question 31

What is the patient position for palpating the spine of the scapula, superior border of the scapula, medial border of the scapula, & lateral border of the scapula?

Answer 31

Seated

Question 32

What is the therapist position for palpating the spine of the scapula, superior border of the scapula, medial border of the scapula, & lateral border of the scapula?

Answer 32

Beside the patient

Question 33

How do you palpate the superior angle of the scapula and spine of the scapula?

Answer 33

Start medially around the upper trapezius and walk your way down until you find a ridge, the first ridge is the superior angle of the scapula, walk inferiorly until you find a second ridge and the second ridge is the spine of the scapula

Question 34

How do you palpate the medial border of the scapula? What movement can the patient perform to make it easier to find the medial border of the scapula?

Answer 34

Start from the level of the spinous processes and walk laterally. Have the patient horizontally abduct and adduct and you can feel the medial border of the scapula move back and forth

Question 35

How do you palpate the lateral border of the scapula?

Answer 35

Find the inferior angle of the scapula and walk laterally

Question 36

What is the patient position for palpating the olecranon process?

Answer 36

Seated or standing

Question 37

What is the therapist position for palpating the olecranon process?

Answer 37

In front of the patient

Question 38

How do you palpate the olecranon process?

Answer 38

Have the patient flex their shoulder and elbow to 90 degrees and feel the bony part of their elbow

Question 39

What is the patient position for palpating the sternal notch?

Answer 39

Seated or standing

Question 40

What is the therapist position for palpating the sternal notch?

Answer 40

In front of the patient

Question 41

How do you palpate the sternal notch?

Answer 41

Find the indentation or dip between the two SC joints

Question 42

What is the patient position for palpating the sternoclavicular joint?

Answer 42

Seated or standing

Question 43

What is the therapist position for palpating the SC joint?

Answer 43

In front of the patient

Question 44

How do you palpate the SC joint?

Answer 44

Find the clavicles and go to the most medial end of the clavicles

Question 45

What is the patient position for palpating the coracoid process?

Answer 45

Seated

Question 46

What is the therapist position for palpating the coracoid process?

Answer 46

Beside the patient

Question 47

How do you palpate the coracoid process? What movement can the patient perform to help you access this structure?

Answer 47

Start from the armpit area and go slightly superomedial and dig inside. Have the patient be in a horizontally adducted position and continue to look.

Question 48

What is the patient position for palpating the greater tubercle of the humerus?

Answer 48

Seated

Question 49

What is the therapist position for palpating the greater tubercle of the humerus?

Answer 49

Beside the patient

Question 50

How do you palpate the greater tubercle of the humerus?

Answer 50

Find the acromion and on the lateral side of the acromion if you go slightly inferior you will be on the greater tubercle

Question 51

What is the patient position for palpating the lesser tubercle of the humerus?

Answer 51

Seated

Question 52

What is the therapist position for palpating the lesser tubercle of the humerus?

Answer 52

Beside the patient

Question 53

How do you palpate the lesser tubercle of the humerus? What movement can the patient perform to help you identify the lesser tubercle?

Answer 53

Find the acromion and on the anterior surface of the acromion slide posterior until you feel a bony prominence. Have the patient internally and externally rotate to feel the lesser tubercle roll underneath the finger of the therapist.

Question 54

What is the patient position for palpating the lateral epicondyle of the humerus?

Answer 54

Seated with their shoulder in a slightly abducted/internally rotated position and the elbow flexed to 90 degrees

Question 55

What is the therapist position for palpating the lateral epicondyle of the humerus?

Answer 55

Beside the patient

Question 56

How do you palpate the lateral epicondyle of the humerus?

Answer 56

Trace down the lateral aspect of the humerus until you find a bony prominence at the base of the lateral portion of the humerus

Question 57

What is the patient position for palpating the medial epicondyle of the humerus?

Answer 57

Seated with their shoulder in a slightly abducted/externally rotated position and the elbow flexed to 90 degree

Question 58

What is the therapist position for palpating the medial epicondyle of the humerus?

Answer 58

Beside the patient

Question 59

How do you palpate the medial epicondyle of the humerus?

Answer 59

Trace down the medial aspect of the humerus until you find a bony prominence at the base of the medial portion of the humerus

Question 60

What is the patient position for palpating the radial head of the humerus?

Answer 60

Seated with elbow flexed to 90 degrees in handshake position

Question 61

What is the patient position for palpating the radial head of the humerus?

Answer 61

Beside the patient holding their wrist

Question 62

To palpate the___ ... Using a pincher grip, grasp the lateral aspect of the proximal forearm. Passively pronate and supinate the forearm to feel the ___ rolling underneath your finger

Answer 62

radial head; radial head

Question 63

What is the patient position for palpating the radial styloid process?

Answer 63

Seated with their forearm supinated on the table

Question 64

What is the therapist position for palpating the radial styloid process?

Answer 64

Facing the patient

Question 65

How do you palpate the radial styloid process?

Answer 65

Travel down the radius until you feel a pertuberance at the distal end of the radius

Question 66

What is the patient position for palpating the ulnar styloid process?

Answer 66

Seated with their forearm supinated

Question 67

What is the therapist position for palpating the ulnar styloid process?

Answer 67

Facing the patient

Question 68

How do you palpate the ulnar styloid process?

Answer 68

Travel down the ulna until you feel a pertuberance at the distal end of the ulna

Question 69

What is the patient position for palpating Lister's tubercle?

Answer 69

Seated with their forearm pronated

Question 70

What is the therapist position for palpating Lister's tubercle?

Answer 70

Facing the patient

Question 71

How do you palpate Lister's tubercle?

Answer 71

Slide down the posterior aspect of the radius until you feel a small tubercle

Question 72

What is the patient position for palpating the scaphoid?

Answer 72

Seated with their forearm pronated

Question 73

What is the therapist position for palpating the scaphoid?

Answer 73

Facing the patient

Question 74

How do you palpate the scaphoid?

Answer 74

Have the patient raise their thumb to locate the anatomical snuffbox and palpate the base of the anatomical snuffbox until you feel a very prominent bone

Question 75

What is the patient position for palpating the capitate?

Answer 75

Seated with their forearm pronated

Question 76

What is the therapist position for palpating the capitate?

Answer 76

Facing the patient

Question 77

How do you palpate the capitate? What movement can the patient perform to have the capitate move right into your finger?

Answer 77

Follow the 3rd digit proximally and there will be a depression proximal to the metacarpal bone. Passively flex the patient to feel the capitate move into my finger.

Question 78

What is the patient position for palpating the lunate?

Answer 78

Seated with their forearm pronated

Question 79

What is the therapist position for palpating the lunate?

Answer 79

Facing the patient

Question 80

How do you palpate the lunate? What movement can the patient perform to have the lunate rise up?

Answer 80

Find the capitate and go slightly proximal. Flex the patient's wrist to feel the lunate rise up.

Question 81

What is the patient position for palpating the triquetrum?

Answer 81

Seated with their forearm supinated

Question 82

What is the therapist position for palpating the triquetrum?

Answer 82

Facing the patient

Question 83

How do you palpate the triquetrum? What movement can the patient perform to have the triquetrum push out?

Answer 83

Follow the ulna distally to find the ulnar styloid process. Go slightly more distal until you find a bony prominence. Radial deviate the patient to feel the triquetrum push out.

Question 84

What is the patient position for palpating the pisiform?

Answer 84

Seated with their forearm supinated

Question 85

What is the therapist position for palpating the pisiform?

Answer 85

Facing the patient

Question 86

How do you palpate the pisiform?

Answer 86

Locate the triquetrum and go slightly medial on the palmar aspect of the hand

Question 87

What is the patient position for palpating the trapezium?

Answer 87

Seated with their forearm pronated

Question 88

What is the therapist position for palpating the trapezium?

Answer 88

Facing the patient

Question 89

How do you palpate the trapezium?

Answer 89

Slide down the 1st metacarpal until you find a divot

Question 90

What is the patient position for palpating the trapezium?

Answer 90

Seated with their forearm pronated

Question 91

What is the therapist position for palpating the trapezium?

Answer 91

Facing the patient

Question 92

How do you palpate the trapezoid?

Answer 92

Locate the trapezium and go slightly medial

Question 93

What is the patient position for palpating the hamate?

Answer 93

Seated with their forearm supinated

Question 94

What is the therapist position for palpating the hamate?

Answer 94

Facing the patient

Question 95

How do you palpate the hamate / hook of the hamate?

Answer 95

Slide distally from the space between the 4th and 5th digits starting from the wrist and really apply pressure to feel for the bone