Palpation

When examining the foot, palpation is first carried out when the patient is sitting. Feel for:

• tenderness
  • diffuse or localised
  • heel tenderness: Sever's disease, calcaneal exostosis, plantar fasciitis, pes cavus
  • forefoot tenderness: metarsalgia, pes cavus and planus, gout, RA, Freiberg's disease, March fracture
  • big toe tenderness: gout
• temperature:
  • compare the temperature gradient between legs
  • determine if there is a temperature gradient along the leg
• crepitus of joints
• swelling
• oedema
• lumps
• sensation: especially if the patient reports changes
• pulses:
  • dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial
  • popliteal and femoral