GALS Exam

Question 1

Screening Questions

Answer 1

1. Do you have any pain in your muscles, joints or back?
2. Do you have any difficulty climbing the stairs?
3. Do you have any difficulty dressing yourself?

Question 2

GAIT

Answer 2

1. Antalgic Gait
2. Normal turn
3. Normal step height/ foot drop
4. Symmetrical
5. Smoothness of heel strike, toe off.

Question 3

Inspection- Front

Answer 3

1. Shoulders - muscle wasting/ symmetry
2. Elbow extension - carrying angle 15
3. Quadriceps - muscle bulk
4. Knees - swelling/ defformity
5. Feet - hallux valgus or varus

Question 4

Inspection - Side

Answer 4

1. Cervical spine - hyperlordosis
2. Thoracic spine - degree of kyphosis
3. Lumbar spine - lordosis
4. Knees - hyperflexion
5. Foot arches - inspect arches - pes planus/ pes cavus

Question 5

Inspection - Behind

Answer 5

1. Shoulders
2. Spinal alignment - scolioses
3. iliac crest alignment
4. Gluteal muscle bulk
5. Knees - popliteal swellings
6. Hind foot abnormalities

Question 6

ARMS

Answer 6

Arms muscle bulk

1. Hands behind head
2. hands on lower back
3. Hands outstretched - inspect back of hands
4. supinate hands - inspect palm muscle bulk
5. Make a fist
6. power grip
7. Precision grip - thumb to each finger
8. MCP Squeeze

Question 7

LEGS (lying down)

Answer 7

1. Passive full knee flexion + extension
2. Passive internal rotation of hip joint
3. Patellar tap
4. Inspect feet for callaces and deformity
5. MTP squeeze

Question 8

SPINE

Answer 8

1. Cervical - ear to shoulder
2. Thoracic - twist
3. Lumber flexion - two fingers on spine

Question 9

Further investigations

Answer 9

1. Individual joint examination

2. Further imaging