What is the easiest way to get a popliteal pulse?
Wrap your hand around your knee so your fingers are against the soft spot in the back of your knee. Slowly press your fingers into this soft spot until you can feel your pulse. It should feel like a steady pulse once or twice per second. This is your popliteal pulse.
How do you check a popliteal pulse?
Find the fleshy middle portion of the back middle of your knee. Doctors call this the “popliteal fossa.” Others call it the “kneepit” for short. Press with increasing pressure until you feel a pulsation in the back of the knee. The pulsation will feel like a heartbeat, usually steady and even in nature.
Which two areas on the body are the easiest to measure your pulse?
Fast facts on checking your pulse The pulse is easiest to find on the wrist or neck. A healthy pulse is between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm).
What is the pulse behind the ankle called?
Two possible pedal pulse positions to check Check for either the dorsalis pedis pulse (on the top of the foot) or the posterior tibial pulse (located behind the medial malleolus — the ankle bone).
What is the most commonly used pulse site?
The radial artery is most commonly used to check the pulse. Several fingers are placed on the artery close to the wrist joint.
How many pulses are there?
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recognizes 11 types of pulses: dry beans, dry broad beans, dry peas, chickpeas, cow peas, pigeon peas, lentils, Bambara beans, vetches, lupins and pulses nes (not elsewhere specified – minor pulses that don’t fall into one of the other categories).
What should I do if my patient has a popliteal pulse?
The popliteal pulse can be more difficult to detect than other pulses, so you want to make sure you have good access to the area. Start by having the patient lie down flat on their back if possible. If it is not possible for them to get on their back, have them lie down on their side.
Where is the popliteal pulse point on the knee?
The popliteal pulse point comes from the femoral artery, and you will find this pulse point on the back of the knee. It is located around the middle of the popliteal fossa (the pit that forms on the back of the leg).
What does a hard popliteal artery feel like?
When taking the pulse, the popliteal artery may feel more firm than the area surrounding it, but it shouldn’t be hard. If the artery is hard or overly firm, let a doctor know immediately. The popliteal pulse is one of the most difficult pulses in the body to detect.
What does an exaggerated popliteal pulse indicate?
An exaggerated, widened popliteal pulse suggests an aneurysm of the popliteal artery. Neither popliteal nor femoral aneurysms are common. They are usually due to atherosclerosis, and occur primarily in men over age 50.