GALS

Question 1

First three questions

Answer 1

Any pain in joints, muscles or back?

Are you able to dress yourself completely without any difficulty?

Are you able to go up and down stairs without any difficulty?

Question 2

Second step

Answer 2

Ask patient to walk, turn and back

Assess

• Stance
• Stride length
• Arm swing
• Ability to turn

Question 3

Patient standing

• Front
• Side
• Back

Answer 3

From the front

• Deltoid bulk
• Iliac crest level
• Quad bulk
• Knee alignment

Side:

• Cervical lordosis
• Thoracic kyphosis
• Lumbar lordosis

Back

• Spine alignment (scoliosis)
• Gluteal bulk/ symmetry
• Popliteal swelling
• Calf muscle bulk
• Hindfoot alignment

Patient touch toes

• Hip and lumbar flexion
• Lumbar movement assessed

Question 4

Patient standing

• Neck and face
• Arms and shoulder
• Hand

Answer 4

Neck:
- Lateral flexion of cervical spine
Mandibular joint
- Open mouth, side to side, ask for pain

Arms and shoulders:
- Place hands behind head and push elbows backwards (ask for pain)= shoulder abduction+ external rotation

• Elbow flexion: arms brought down, palms facing forwards

Hands:

• Wrist pronation: hands facing down
• Inspection: deformity, scars
• Wrist supination: inspect muscle bulk, deformities
• Make a fist= flex fingers
• Power grip: squeeze finger
• Pinch test on fingers

Question 5

Patient on couch

Answer 5

Knee flexion+ internal rotation at hip

Patellar tap
- Knee effusions

Sole of feet
- Calluses

Squeeze feet