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physical examination
Also see health maintenance for annual physical examination.
Procedure:
Vitals: Temp: *, HR: *, RR: *, BP: **/**
General:
HEENT: NC/AT, pupils, extraocular muscles, conjunctiva, sclera, oropharynx, dentition, tongue (CN12), gag, ears, hearing (Weber test & Rinne test) sinuses, masseter, temporal arteries
Neck: supple, adenopathy?, trachea, JVD, thyromegaly?
Back: spine, CVA tenderness
Lungs: percussion, expansion, auscultation (bronchophony, egophony)
CVS: heart sounds, pulse, m/r/g, carotid bruits, PMI
Abdomen: BS, tenderness, distension?, hepatosplenomegaly?
Extremities: edema, clubbing, cyanosis, fingers & nails
Skin: moist/dry, tenting?, lesions, erythema, tattoos Pulses: radial, femoral, dorsalis pedis, posterior tibial
Lymphatics: axillary, inguinal
Neuro:
Alert, oriented X 3, MMSE if appropriate
CN II-XII (should have already been checked)
DTR: biceps: flexion at elbow (C5, C6) triceps: extension at elbow (C6, C7) brachioradialis: flexion & supination of forearm (C5, C6) patellar: extension at knee (L2, L3, L4) ankle: plantar flexion at ankle (S1)
Plantar flexion (Babinski)
check for clonus
check for tremor
motor:
- flexion at the elbow (C5, C6, biceps)
- extension at the elbow (C6, C7, C8, triceps)
- abduction at the shoulders (deltoids)
- shrugging of shoulders, turning of head (CN XI)
- extension at wrist (C6, C7, C8, radial nerve)
- handgrip (C7, C8, T1)
- finger abduction (C8, T1 & ulnar nerve)
- opposition of thumb (C8, T1 & median nerve)
- gait (if possible)
- rise from a sitting position without arm support
- heal to toe or tandem walk
- walk on toes: tests plantar flexion
- walk on heals: tests dorsiflexion
- if gait not testable:
- flexion at the hip (L2, L3, L4, iliopsoas)
- adduction at the hips (L2, L3, L4, adductors)
- abduction at the hips (L4, L5, S1, gluteus medius & gluteus minimus)
- extension at the hips (S1, gluteus maximus)
- extension at the knee (L2, L3, L4, quadriceps)
- flexion at the knee (L4, L5, S1, S2, hamstrings)
- dorsiflexion at the ankle (L4, L5)
- plantar flexion at the ankle (S1)
- finger to nose: tests for dysmetria (cerebellar)
- heel to shin, repeat with eyes closed to check position sense
- rapid alterating movements: tests for dysdiadochokinesis (cerebellar)
sensory: position sense, vibratory sensation
- Romberg
- pronator drift
- stereognosis
- 2 point discrimination: 5 mm on finger pads
Notes:
- annual routine physical examination of no benefit [1]
- routine testing beyond history & physical is not necessary [2]
- preparticipation physical examination
- evaluate for exertional symptoms
- family history of sudden death
- evaluate for cardiac murmur
Related
physical examination technique
Specific
annual physical examination; annual health examination
disability examination
head impulse, nystagmus & test of skew (HINTS)
joint examination for osteoarthritis
manual muscle testing (MMT)
neurological examination
physical examination of the hand & wrist
physical examination, BkP
skin examination
sports physical examination
General
examination
References
- Annual Physical Past Its Prime...Again? Medscape. Jan 15, 2015.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/838223
- Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 19.
American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 2022,
Component-of
history & physical (H&P)