|Articles|January 12, 2011

Bent on Easier Abdominal Exams

Sometimes patients, particularly children and adolescents, are very anxious during the abdominal examination.

Sometimes patients, particularly children and adolescents, are very anxious during the abdominal examination. I ask them to bend or flex both knees, which helps relax abdominal muscles, prevents guarding, and facilitates palpation.

-Madhvi Patel, MD
Decatur, Ill

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