Hip & Knee Palpation

Question 1

Illiopsoas

Answer 1

1. Have patient lying supine, with pillow under knees
2. Palpate about 2 fingers away from belly button & slightly inwards
3. Ask patient to lift the leg up/bend leg up (hip flexion)

Question 2

Sartorius

Answer 2

1. Have patient lying supine, with pillow under knees
2. Can get patient to raise their leg a bit to find the inverted V
3. Palpate below the ASIS, at the inverted V, the tendon is the medial one (inner)
4. Ask patient to place their heel on the shin of their other leg and slide their heel up the shin

Question 3

Rectus Femoris

Answer 3

1. Have patient lying supine, with pillow/rolled up towel under knees (slight knee flexion)
2. Palpate below the ASIS
3. Ask patient to flex hip with knee extended (lift leg up w/o bending knee)
4. Palpate for the inverted V (tensor fasciae latae & sartorius muscles). Palpate in between the inverted V

Can also palpate muscle belly:
1. Have patient lying supine, with pillow/rolled up towel under knees (slight knee flexion)
2. Palpate at the quads
3. Ask patient to extend knee (provide resistance if necessary)
4. Rectus Femoris will be the most prominant part during knee extension

Question 4

Tensor Fascia Lata

Answer 4

1. Have patient lying supine, with pillow under knees (better to have patient in long sitting so alr hip flexion)
2. Can get patient to raise their leg a bit to find the inverted V
3. Palpate below the ASIS, at the inverted V, the tendon that is the lateral one (outer)
4. Support patient’s leg at the shin & knee (wrap arm around w leg resting on forearm) & lift up a bit (flexed hip)
5. Ask patient to turn leg inwards (medially rotate) and move leg outwards (hip abduction)

Can palpate at muscle belly

Question 5

Adductor Longus
Adductor Brevis
Adductor Magnus

Answer 5

1. Have patient lying in supine
2. Palpate at the inner thigh (proximal medial thigh), somewhere in the middle
3. Support patient’s leg at the ankle (lift up a biit)
4. Ask patient to bring leg inwards (hip adduction)

Question 6

Gracilis

Answer 6

1. Have patient lying in supine
2. Palpate at the knee, medial side slightly towards the back, slightly behind the bulge at the side of the knee
3. Support the patient’s leg at the ankle/shin
4. Ask patient to bring leg inwards (hip adduction) and provide resistance

Question 7

Gluteus maximus

Answer 7

1. Have patient lying in prone
2. Palpate at around the middle of the buttocks
3. Ask patient to bend his knee to 90 degrees & lift up the thigh (hip extension)

Question 8

Biceps Femoris

Answer 8

1. Have patient lying in prone
2. Palpate around the middle of the hamstring
3. Can also palpate at the tendon (behind the knee, the lateral tendon that pops out)
4. Ask patient to turn his toes outwards (lateral rotation) and bend his knee to 90 degrees

Question 9

Semimembranosus & Semitendinosus

Answer 9

1. Have patient lying in prone
2. Ask patient to turn his toes inwards (medial rotation)
3. Palpate the tendon (behind the knee, the medial one that pops out - most medial is semitendinosus, nearer the middle of the knee is the semimembranosus)

Question 10

Gluteus Medius
Gluetus Minimus

Answer 10

1. Patient lies prone/supine
2. Palpate over the greater trochanter
3. Ask patient to keep knee cap pointing upwards and to bring the leg outwards (hip abduction)

Question 11

Piriformis

Answer 11

1. Have patient lying in supine
2. Support patient under the lower leg (lower leg resting on forearm w hand on inner side of knee)
3. Palpate at the greater trochanter
4. Ask patient to gently turn the leg/knee inwards (internal hip rotation) (can have resistance)