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Palpation

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

With the patient standing and then perhaps later, lying supine, palpate the back for the:

  • skin temperature
  • deformity of the spine - steps or a steady contour ?
  • vertebral tenderness - localised or general ?
  • paraspinal spasm and muscle tenderness
  • sacro-iliac tenderness in sacroileitis

Elsewhere:

  • feel for peripheral pulses
  • palpate groin and abdomen for abscesses
  • if diagnosis is still uncertain, carry out full thoracic, abdominal, rectal and vaginal examination

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The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

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