Standing, sitting, or lying prone
If you wish to palpate on the skin, provide a private room for assessment. Ask the patient if he/she is willing to uncover the area ñ removing the shirt for men and wearing a halter top, bathing suit, etc. for women. While the skin can not be viewed with clothes covering the area, the spinous processes can be palpated over clothing.
Posterior to the patient.
(Guide the patient to drape appropriately.) Please stand. May I touch the bones along your back? (or point to the area).
Guide the patient to drape appropriately and then stand. Palpate the prominent spinous processes along the spine. Palpation can be done with your finger tips or with your index finger on one side of the spinous processes and your thumb on the other side.
VH - Skeleton of the spine and head and pelvis, posterior view
On one side add the interspinalis muscles (yes they are now segmented ñ ask Mike) , rotators, intertransversarii (not sure these are), rectus capitis major and minor of the suboccipital triangle muscles, latissimus dorsi, trapezius muscles and tendons