How Do You Take Blood Pressure Reading in the Leg?

At times, it may be necessary for practitioners to take blood pressure readings in the leg instead of in the arm. The practice can assist health care providers in determining if there are arterial blockages in the body and where they might be.
It's important to note that blood pressure readings taken in the leg should be 10 to 20 percent higher than when taken in the arm. If readings are lower in the legs, it can indicate arterial blockage in the legs.

Things You'll Need

• Blood pressure cuff designed for thigh measurements
• Stethoscope
• Table or surface
• Water
• Soap

Instructions

1. Begin by washing your hands.

2. Make sure the blood pressure cuff you are using is the appropriate size. The patient's thigh should be 20 percent smaller than the bladder, or inflatable area, of the blood pressure cuff.

3. Ask the patient to remove his clothing, so that the thigh is exposed. This insures an accurate reading.

4. Ask the patient to lay down on his stomach.

5. Place the blood pressure cuff around the middle of the thigh, about halfway between the knee and the midsection.

6. Find the patient's pulse in the knee. You are searching for the popliteal pulse, the beating caused by the popliteal artery. Position the stethoscope "chest piece," or the circular end of the stethoscope, just above the crease of the knee. Center it on the leg.

7. Once you have found the pulse, tighten the screw on the stethoscope so that no air can escape while you inflating the bladder.

8. Inflate by squeezing the bulb of the cuff. Listen carefully to the pulse through the stethoscope. Inflate until you can no longer hear the pulse, then continue inflating for another 10 mm Hg. Watch the readings carefully.
   Take care to not inflate the cuff past 200 mm Hg. If you should happen to hear a pulse after passing the 200 mm Hg mark, stop the test and ask a professional for help. This could mean that the faulty blood pressure cuff is faulty or it could be that the individual has very high blood pressure and needs to see a physician.

9. While listening carefully, release the air from the cuff very slowly. Do this by turning the screw on the cuff very slightly. When you begin hearing a pulse again, that number is the individual's systolic blood pressure. Make a mental note of that number. Most practitioners round up to the nearest even number when reporting blood pressure readings.

10. Continuing to listen to the pulse, deflate the cuff slowly. As you release the air, you should hear the pulse until the pressure from the cuff no longer hinders blood movement through the artery. You are listening for the moment when the artery opens and the thumping pulse sound changes to an indistinct rumble. Check the blood pressure cuff reading when the sound changes. That is the individuals diastolic pressure. Make a mental note of that number. Most practitioners also round up to the nearest even number.

11. Write down the individual's systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings.

12. Remove the cuff and share the information with the person you tested.

Tips & Warnings

• According to health guidelines, 120/80 or below is considered normal blood pressure. Blood pressure readings that are 140/90 are considered high. Talk to a doctor or health care provider if you find that your blood pressure readings are high after several tests at different times of the day. Blood pressure readings can vary. Factors, such as exercise and stress, can alter the readings. If you find you have high blood pressure after several tests at different times of day, contact your doctor.

• Both the individual conducting the test and the person undergoing the test should be quiet and relaxed throughout.

Resources

• Purchase a thigh blood pressure cuff