Athletic Training & Sports Medicine Center

AH 321 Assessment of Athletic Injuries/Illnesses Laboratory

Bony Palpation Skill Sheet

Hand & Wrist	Arm	Hip, Pelvis & Spine	Foot & Ankle
Forearm	Shoulder Girdle	Knee	Head & Face
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Head/Face

Bony Landmark (include alternative name if applicable)	Related Information such as purpose, function, attachment of ligaments, tendon, soft tissues involved	Preferred Body & Joint Position best for palpation	Anatomical Description of Location relative to other structures	Skeleton Picture or Video	Model Picture or Video
Lateral Orbital Margins- outer margin of orbit formed by the malar or zygomatic bone		Patient needs to be seated, standing, or supine	Immediately lateral to the eye orbital socket, outer origin of the eye orbit formed by the malar or zygomatic bone
Lower border of Mandible- bony ridge of the jawbone	Bony ridge of the jaw bone	Patient should be facing the examiner either standing or sitting	Located laterally and inferior on the mandible
Angle of Mandible- where mandible changes direction	Just below is a common fracture site for the jaw bone	Patient standing, seated, or supine	Located at the bottom of the jaw and forms almost a 90 degree angle
Supraorbital Margin- Frontal bone- ridge over each eye orbit	Forms outer, superior surface of eye orbit	Eyebrows raised	Superior part of the eye orbit, inferior part of the frontal bone
Glabella	Articulates with the nasion	Supine	Prominent ridge just above nasion
Zygomatic arch- prominent cheek bone	Superficial temporal artery crosses the posterior extremity of the zygomatic arch; a pulse is palpable here	Seated or standing	Inferior and lateral to the orbit of the eye
Nasion- depression just above the nose between the supraorbital margins	The nasion attaches to the nasal bones where they are surrounded by the frontal bone to form the roof of the nose	The patient sitting in a chair with the examiner sitting behind the patient	Located inferior to the glabella and superior to the nose
Mastoid processes	Injuries to this bony prominence are indications for Battle's Sign	Patient lying in a supine position and relaxed	Located posterior to the ear