Absent ankle pulse

What it means

The pulsation of the posterior tibial artery behind the internal malleolus, or of the dorsalis pedis artery, cannot be detected on physical examination.

While examining the pulse, the observer should note its intensity, rate, rhythm, and if any blood vessel tenderness, tortuosity, or nodularity exists.

Rare diseases that can present with this1

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category