Popliteal Pulse
It is the pulsation of the popliteal artery; and is best palpated in the popliteal fossa with the patient lying prone with the knee flexed. The popliteal artery flows through the back of the knee. The pulse so observed is not due to pulsing of blood through the arteries, but it is the shock wave that travels along the artery when heart contracts. While measuring the pulse; the rhythm, amplitude and rate of the pulse are noted. Apart from other pulse testing sites in the body, physician sometimes prefer to take the pulse from here also. It can easily be felt with softy hands.
