Dorsal Pedal Pulse and Posterior Tibial Artery
Posted on 07. Mar, 2010 by Don in Ankle Special Tests
Loading ...Purpose
Vascular tests to assess blood flow in Posterior Tibial and Dorsalis Pedis arteries.
Technique
Posterior Tibial Artery
Patient is positioned supine with ankle on the side being tested off the table.
Clinician palpates just distal to the medial malleolus. Using a light touch with his fingers (and not his thumb) the Clinician gently palpates until he can feel the pulse.
Clinician then repeats the technique on the other side for comparison.
Doraslis Pedis Artery
Patient is positioned supine with ankle on the side being tested off the table.
Clinician uses one hand to provide support by gripping the ankle.
Clinician uses the index and middle fingers of his other hand to gently palpated just lateral to the first ray until he can feel the pulse.
Clinician then repeats the technique on the other side for comparison.
Positive
Inability to find a palpable pulse or a pulse that is weaker on one side.
Interpretation
A positive indicates compromised blow flow in the artery that was being tested.
The dorsal pedal pulse is often examined, by physicians, when assessing whether a given patient has peripheral vascular disease.
It is absent, unilaterally or bilaterally, in 2-3 % of young healthy individuals.
References
- Dutton, M. (2008). Orthopaedic: Examination, evaluation, and intervention (2nd ed.). New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
- Mowlavi A, Whiteman J, Wilhelmi BJ, Neumeister MW, McLafferty R. Dorsalis pedis arterial pulse: palpation using a bony landmark. Postgrad Med J. 2002 Dec;78(926):746-7.
- Robertson GS, Ristic CD, Bullen BR. The incidence of congenitally absent foot pulses. Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 1990 Mar;72(2):99-100.
