ChoiceHub

Foot & Ankle Examination

MusculoskeletalYear 3

Foot and ankle examination covers a lot of ground quickly. This checklist keeps the arches, forefoot, hindfoot, range of movement and the Achilles and ligament tests in a repeatable order.

Marking points
49
Run-through
~12m
Progress
Saved on your device only
1

Introduction

0/7
2

Look

0/15

    • Look for tuberosity of navicular, medial malleolus, FHL, Tib Post, lateral malleolus, peroneal tendons, base of 5th

  • Observe gait cycle, range of movement, limping, leg length discrepancy, turning, height of steps. High-stepping gait may indicate foot drop.

    • Look for scarring, bruising, swelling, skin changes, toe deformities, calluses, nail changes. Check surface anatomy: tib ant tendon, EHL, ED

    • Check medial aspect for arch of the foot, lateral aspect for swelling

    • Look for scars, muscle wasting, Achilles tendon changes

3

Feel

0/14

  • Use back of hands to assess and compare temperatures of ankle joints

  • Check posterior tibialis and dorsalis pedis

  • Palpate individual areas and compare sides. Note any tenderness or irregularity.

  • Palpate gastrocnemius muscle and Achilles tendon, noting tenderness, swelling, or discontinuity

4

Move

0/7

  • Normal range: 0-20 degrees. Instruction: 'Pull your feet backwards to point up to your head'

  • Normal range: 0-50 degrees. Instruction: 'Push your feet downwards, like pressing a car pedal'

  • Normal range: 0-35 degrees. Instruction: 'Try to touch the soles of your feet together'

  • Normal range: 0-15 degrees. Instruction: 'Try to angle the soles of your feet outwards as far as you can'

  • Instruction: 'Curl your toes as tight as you can'

  • Instruction: 'Stretch your toes towards your head'

  • Performed passively. Steady ankle with one hand and rotate forefoot with the other

5

Special Tests

0/6

  • Patient lies prone or kneels. Examiner squeezes calf muscle. Normal response: foot plantar flexes. Absence of plantarflexion indicates possible Achilles tendon rupture.

  • Patient stands on one leg then the other, eyes open then closed. Assesses balance post ankle injury.

  • Assesses ankle dorsiflexion range. Compare side to side.

  • Assesses anterior talofibular ligament stability. Positive if anterior translation > 1 cm compared to unaffected side.

  • Tap over posterior tibial nerve in tarsal tunnel. Positive indicates possible nerve entrapment.

  • For plantar fasciitis. Positive if heel pain reproduced with passive toe dorsiflexion.

0/49

Practise a related station

Browse all 32 stations