history (lower limb)

Last reviewed 01/2018

The history should include the following:

  • pain. site, radiation, quality, duration, exacerbating and relieving factors, disturbance of sleep.
  • stiffness.
  • swelling - least obvious with the hip
  • giving way, instability, collapsing
  • locking - defined as the intermittent inability to fully extend a joint
  • grating, clicking
  • functional disturbance, such as walking distances, cutting toenails, bathing, climbing stairs
  • initial injury