Sitting, sidelying, or lying supine
Ask the patient to wear shorts and remove shoes and socks. Palpation on the skin also is possible by lifting long pants above the knee.
Lateral or anteriolateral to the patient.
Please sit down (or other position). May I touch the side of your leg and foot? (or point to the area). Please point your toes down and out (or demonstrate). (If needed, hold this position while I try to push your foot up and inward.)
Guide the patient to sit down (or other position). With the patient relaxed and with permission, place your fingers on the lateral leg and guide the patient to plantarflex and evert the ankle and foot. Move your fingers to the most prominent tendon proximal to the lateral malleolus. As the tendon extends posterior and distal to the lateral malleolus, it loses visibility as it is held in place by the superior and inferior peroneal retinacula, and courses deep into the plantar foot.
VH - Leg and foot skeleton with peroneus longus and brevis muscles and tendons ñ add anterior tibialis, extensor hallucis and digitorum longus muscles and tendons, peroneus tertius muscle and tendon and superior and inferior retinacula on one side