[Clinical examination of the foot]

Abstract

A systematic clinical examination of the foot, including a structured medical history, is essential for the diagnostics of foot disorders. The foot and ankle, with a total of 28 bones and numerous joints, require a variety of musculotendinous and neuromuscular structures for stabilization and faultless gait. Almost all anatomical structures of the foot are easily accessible for a manual clinical examination due to the sparse soft tissue covering. This requires differentiated and well-founded anatomical knowledge as well as examination experience to be able to distinguish a normal finding from a pathological abnormality. The examination of the contralateral foot is always necessary. A targeted supplementary imaging examination completes the diagnosis.

Keywords: Ankle joint; Diagnostic imaging; Foot diseases; Function tests; Physical examination.