GALS Exam

Question 1

what questions would you ask to start a GALS exam

Answer 1

any pain or stiffness in muscles, joints or back
difficulty getting dressed independently?
go up and down stairs?

Question 2

what would you look at in a GALS exam

Answer 2

gait
front, side, back
all joints: deformities, curvature, musculature

Question 3

how would you exam the spine in a GALS

Answer 3

flexion of lumbar sign place 2 fingers on lower back and ask patient to bend over
lateral flexion of neck ask patient to tilt head sideways ear to shoulder

Question 4

how would you exam the arms in a GALS exam

Answer 4

shoulders - hands behind their head and push elbows back
wrists + hands - inspect, observe pronation and supination squeeze MCPs, make a full fist, squeeze my fingers, each finger to thumb

Question 5

how would you examine the legs in a GALS

Answer 5

patient extend and flex the knee, feel for crepitus
in 90 flexion assess internal and external rotation
patellar tap /bulge test

Question 6

how would you examine the feet in a GALS

Answer 6

inspect feet
squeeze across MTP joints

Question 7

how would you complete a GALS exam

Answer 7

focused exam of joints with suspected pathology
further imaging if indicated
full body neuro and vascular examination