Risks of Palpation:

There are some common risks after palpation is conducted, these can
include: When is Palpation Conducted?
Stiffness to the area where palpation was used on the patient Palpation techniques are used during a consultation with an osteopath or
Some patients can have headaches after palpation to the area during any consultation with a physical health practitioner such as a
Bruising can occur if excessive pressure is used onto the area physiotherapist. When palpation is used, it enables the practitioner to check
Tenderness in areas can cause discomfort throughout a and diagnose the patient by feeling and touching their muscles, bones, skin and
consultation and can lead to patients feeling uncomfortable. other surfaces. This allows them to construct the basis of the treatments they
will conduct on their patient and enable them to underline the problems with
Overall, the risks that are associated with palpation are minor and
the patient and then treat these ailments to aid the patient back into optimal
usually cause minor discomfort. health.

Benefits of Palpation:
Palpation is the backbone of osteopathy. It allows medical practitioners to
perform appropriate treatment to patients to aid them in the healing process.
Palpation comes with many benefits which include:
· Allows the practitioner to identify the issue/problem that is causing the
patient discomfort.
· Informs the practitioner where and what the pain is
· Helps to treat and diagnose the area of pain
(amta massage,
· Professional techniques (palpation) ensures correct treatment of the intended 2010 November 17)
area
· Palpation can be performed over a barrier of clothing which enables people
of different backgrounds and religions to comfortably receive the treatment.
· Palpation can be performed with minimal to no equipment required. Palpation: An

Overview
· Palpation rids the patient of pain and discomfort and allows to start feeling
at ease.
Overall, palpation is vital to many health professions, especially osteopathy as
it enables the health practitioner to diagnose and find treatment methods for
the patients certain needs. It is one of the first steps in osteopathic consultations
(Very Well Health, 2022 August 18)
Taylah Owen, Joel Allchin, Milton Simopoulos, Shyam
therefore, the benefits it upholds are vast.
Sharma, Peter Klinkatsis, Zeyn Shah.
 Although clinical medicine flourished before the Greeks,
especially all over the Eastern world, the writings from the How is Palpation Conducted?
History of Palpation: Greeks was implemented in the Western world, allowing Palpation is performed by using the practitioners fingertips and
The art of palpation was founded by Dr Andrew Taylor Still palpation to become the science and art it is today and placing them on the area of interest to feel the patients body
in 1874, being the art and clinical methodology used to tissues, then applying the desired amount of pressure to feel and
allows such professions like osteopathy to flourish into the
examine and aid someone’s body with the use of touching examine the patients muscles, bones and tissue. Different degrees
art that they have become in the modern day world. of pressure are used to examine different parts of the body such
and feeling. This is done by a health practitioner in which
they feel and manipulate the patients tissues, bones and as muscles that are deeper in the body than those that are more
superficial. By feeling and examining the patients body tissues,
muscle as well as the tension they may have in their body
this allows practitioners to get insights of the wellbeing of the
tissues.
patients certain structures, whether they may be in optimal of a
Dr Andrew Taylor Still was the founder of The American low state of health and how from this, the area of concern can be
School Of Osteopathy, which is in Kirksville, Missouri and is treated to allow the area of interest to flourish back into optimal
now the Kirksville College of Osteopathic medicine which is health.
where students of this age are able to learn and master his
art of palpation techniques. His teachings led him to Bibliography:
Muscolino, J. E. (2010). Effective Palpation. amta massage. Retrieved September 6, 2022, from
educate over five thousand students throughout his life and https://www.amtamassage.org/publications/massage-therapy-journal/effective-palpation/.
many more due in the future due to the school he founded. U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Palpation: Medlineplus medical encyclopedia. MedlinePlus.
Retrieved September 6, 2022, from
However, before the clinical teachings of osteopathy and https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002284.htm#:~:text=Palpation%20is%20a%20mehttps://med
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20or%20body%20part.thod%20of,an%20organ%20or%20body%20part.
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a cross-sectional study. J Man Manip Ther. 2012 Aug;20(3):121-9. doi: 10.1179/2042618612Y.0000000004.
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of medicine that included a careful history, inspection, When Shouldn't Palpation be https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-072169807-6.50009-6
Nolet PS, Yu H, Côté P, Meyer AL, Kristman VL, Sutton D, Murnaghan K, Lemeunier N. Reliability and

palpation, direct auscultation, and examination of the Conducted? validity of manual palpation for the assessment of patients with low back pain: a systematic and
critical review. Chiropr Man Therap. 2021 Aug 26;29(1):33. doi: 10.1186/s12998-021-00384-3. PMID:
sputum and urine.” The art of palpation should not be conducted when the patient has underlying conditions 34446040; PMCID: PMC8390263.
that could cause not only extra risks for the patient, but effect the health of the practitioner Stephan, P. (2022). How Touch Is Used in a Physical Examination. The Role of Palpation in Medicine.
as well. These could be, if the patient has lesions such as cuts that could be a health hazard Very Well Health . Retrieved September 6, 2022, from https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-
to the practitioner as this could present the practitioner with possible diseases that could palpate-430300
lead to illness. Also, if the patient is pregnant, putting extra pressure onto the abdomen Tikkanen, A. (2022). Andrew Taylor Still. Britannica . Retrieved September 6, 2022, from
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Andrew-Taylor-Still.
when palpation could present an extra hazard not only for the patient but for the baby.
Palpation should not be conducted if the patient hasn’t given consent to do so. This could
lead to the patient’s consent being violated as well as putting the practitioners license in
jeopardy.