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Physiotherapy vocabulary · Assessment and Examination

Palpation

Meaning in physiotherapy, with examples

/pælˈpeɪʃən/nounCommon term

In physiotherapy, palpation means: Examining the body by feeling it carefully with the hands, to find tenderness, swelling, muscle tightness, temperature changes or the position of structures.

In Turkish: palpasyon, elle muayene

How it is used

Part of the objective assessment. Physiotherapists palpate a joint, tendon or muscle and record findings such as 'tender on palpation of the lateral epicondyle'. Before palpating, it is polite to warn the patient: 'I'm just going to feel around your knee'.

Example sentences

  1. On palpation there is tenderness over the Achilles tendon.

  2. Palpation of the lower back muscles showed increased tone on the left.

Common collocations

  • on palpation
  • tender on palpation
  • palpate a muscle
  • soft tissue palpation
  • tendernessPain or discomfort that appears when a particular area of the body is pressed or touched.
  • objective assessmentThe part of a physiotherapy assessment in which the physiotherapist observes, measures and tests the patient's body, for example movement, strength and special tests.
  • trigger pointA small, very tender spot in a tight band of muscle that can cause pain both where it is pressed and in another area.
  • swellingAn increase in the size of a part of the body caused by extra fluid in the tissues, often after an injury, an operation or inflammation.

More terms: Assessment and Examination

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