Where is femoral pulse located

This disorder tends to get worse when the legs are allowed to dangle for prolonged periods below the level of the heart e. The fluid builds up preferentially in the most distal aspects of the leg and progress up towards the knee as the process worsens. Arterial insufficiency, on the other hand, rarely causes edema, which makes perfect sense as the problem lies in the delivery of blood to the extremity, not the return from it.

On occasion, the conditions may coexist. It may be difficult to detect small amounts of fluid. Look around the malleoli, as fluid will cause a loss of the normally distinct appearing edges of the bone. Similarly, fluid will tend to "fill in" the spaces between the extensor tendons on the top of the foot, causing them to appear less defined.

If you're not sure whether fluid is present, push on the area for several seconds, release, and then gently rub your finger over that same spot, feeling for the presence of a "divot," referred to as pitting. Much is said about pitting edema being associated with some disease states and non-pitting with others; however, the actual importance of this distinction is probably over stated.

Also note the proximal extent of the edema and if it is present to the same degree in both legs. Edema may either be diffuse, involving all of the surrounding tissue symmetrically, as is frequently the case in disorders of low oncotic or elevated hydrostatic pressure.

If, however, there is a local inflammatory process, as might occur with cellulitis, the area of edema can be quite focal. A comparison of the different ways of quantifying edema are demonstrated here:. Pulses are assessed to identify the presence of arterial vascular disease.

In general, the less prominent the pulses, the greater the chance that there is occlusive arterial disease. This is not a perfect correlation, however, as pulses may be palpable even when significant disease is present e. The location of the blockage s will dictate the symptoms and findings. Location of Dorsalis Pedis Artery. The pictures below demonstrate the location of the dorsalis pedis artery in relation to surrounding structures surface anatomy on left, gross anatomy on right.

Location of Posterior Tibial Artery. The pictures below demonstrate the location of the posterior tibial artery in relation to surrounding structures surface anatomy on left, gross anatomy on right. In addition to helping keep blood flowing to your leg, the popliteal artery also supplies blood to important muscles in your leg, like your calf muscles and the lower part of your hamstring muscles. They can attempt to identify the lower pulses in your leg, such as those at your ankle.

Your doctor may also use equipment, such as a Doppler device, which detects the movement of blood by ultrasonic pulsations. Your pulse rate should feel the same throughout your body, including on your wrist, on the side of your neck, and in your feet.

Most experts consider a normal pulse to be between 60 and beats per minute. A doctor might check for a popliteal pulse to evaluate how well blood is flowing to the lower leg. Some of the conditions where a doctor may check the popliteal pulse include:. Some other symptoms that could indicate impaired blood flow include:. These symptoms can all indicate impaired blood flow from peripheral artery disease or an acute medical condition, such as a blood clot in the leg. The popliteal artery is important to give blood flow to the lower legs and muscles surrounding the knee.

If you have problems with blood flow to one or both legs, regularly checking your popliteal pulse may help you monitor your conditions. Paying attention to additional symptoms, like lower leg tingling and numbness, may also help.

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You can increase iron levels with diet and supplements. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. How to Find Your Popliteal Pulse.