What are the 8 different locations that you can take a pulse?

October 1, 2025 •

3 min read

Your pulse is the rhythmic expansion and recoil of arteries resulting from heart contractions. Knowing where to accurately check a pulse is a fundamental skill for monitoring cardiovascular health or in emergency situations. This guide explores the 8 different locations to take a pulse.

Quick Summary

The pulse can be detected at various anatomical points where an artery runs close to the skin's surface, including the wrist, neck, groin, elbow, behind the knee, top of the foot, inner ankle, and temple. Each location offers a unique perspective on circulatory health, with some preferred for routine checks and others reserved for specific medical assessments or emergencies.

Key Points

Radial Pulse: Easiest and most common location, found on the thumb side of the wrist, ideal for routine monitoring.
Carotid Pulse: A reliable pulse point on the neck, best for emergency checks on unresponsive adults, but never palpate both sides at once.
Brachial Pulse: Crucial for infants during CPR and for taking manual blood pressure in adults, located on the inside of the upper arm.
Peripheral Pulses: Sites like the dorsalis pedis (top of the foot) and posterior tibial (inner ankle) are key for checking circulation in the extremities.
Accuracy and Technique: Always use your index and middle fingers for palpation, apply gentle pressure, and avoid using your thumb to prevent false readings.

Understanding the Pulse: More Than Just a Heartbeat

The pulse is a vital sign that provides a wealth of information about a person's cardiovascular system, including heart rate, rhythm, and the force of contraction. The pulse is essentially the wave of blood created by the heart's pumping action as it travels through the arteries. When assessing a pulse, medical professionals look for its rate (beats per minute), rhythm (regular or irregular), strength (strong, weak, or bounding), and symmetry (equal on both sides of the body). Different pulse sites are used depending on the situation and the information being sought, from routine checks on a conscious person to emergency assessments on an unresponsive individual.

The 8 Key Pulse Locations

Here are eight of the most common and accessible locations for taking a pulse throughout the human body. To learn how to find and the significance of each pulse point, please refer to {Link: study.com https://study.com/academy/lesson/assessing-abnormal-peripheral-pulses.html} or {Link: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK350/}.

1. Radial Pulse

Location: Wrist, thumb side.
Significance: Most common for routine checks.

2. Carotid Pulse

Location: Side of the neck.
Significance: Used in emergencies for unresponsive individuals. Never press on both sides simultaneously.

3. Brachial Pulse

Location: Inner upper arm near the elbow.
Significance: Essential for blood pressure and infant CPR.

4. Femoral Pulse

Location: Groin area.
Significance: Useful for lower extremity circulation assessment.

5. Popliteal Pulse

Location: Behind the knee.
Significance: Used for lower leg and foot circulation, can be difficult to find.

6. Posterior Tibial Pulse

Location: Inner ankle behind the medial malleolus.
Significance: Critical for foot blood flow, especially with diabetes or vascular disease.

7. Dorsalis Pedis Pulse

Location: Top of the foot.
Significance: Assesses foot circulation. May be congenitally absent in some people.

8. Temporal Pulse

Location: Temple, in front of the ear.
Significance: Sometimes used in newborns or elderly patients.

Comparison of Pulse Locations


Pulse Point	Location	Best For...	Considerations
Radial	Wrist, thumb side	Routine checks on conscious adults	Most common and accessible.
Carotid	Neck, beside windpipe	Emergency checks on unresponsive patients	Never check both sides simultaneously.
Brachial	Inner upper arm, near elbow	Infants and blood pressure readings	Most reliable for infants (<1 year).
Femoral	Groin area	Assessing lower body circulation	Requires deeper palpation.
Popliteal	Behind the knee	Assessing lower leg circulation	Can be difficult to find due to depth.
Posterior Tibial	Inner ankle, behind malleolus	Checking foot circulation	Key for diagnosing vascular disease.
Dorsalis Pedis	Top of the foot	Checking foot circulation	May be absent in some people.
Temporal	Temple, in front of ear	Elderly patients or newborns	Less common than other sites.

Important Safety Precautions

Keep these precautions in mind when checking a pulse:

Avoid using your thumb: It has its own pulse. Use index and middle fingers.
Carotid artery: Never press on both sides at once to avoid blocking blood flow to the brain.
Pressure: Use gentle pressure; pressing too hard can obstruct blood flow.
Resting pulse: Wait at least five minutes in a comfortable position for an accurate resting heart rate.

Conclusion

Understanding the 8 different locations that you can take a pulse is a valuable skill for health monitoring and emergency preparedness. Each site offers important insights into your circulatory health. Knowing how to locate and properly assess these points helps you understand your body's vital signs. For more on cardiovascular health, visit {Link: American Heart Association's website https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/target-heart-rates}.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most common and accessible site for taking a pulse is the radial pulse, found on the thumb side of the wrist.

The carotid artery is a major vessel close to the heart that carries a strong pulse, making it the most reliable site for quickly checking for circulation in an unconscious or unresponsive person.

No, you should never use your thumb to take a pulse because it has its own strong pulse and can easily be confused with the patient's pulse.

For infants, locate the brachial pulse on the inside of the upper arm, between the shoulder and the elbow. This is the preferred site for checking circulation during infant CPR.

If you cannot find the dorsalis pedis pulse on the top of the foot, it may not indicate a problem, as some people are congenitally missing this pulse. However, in other cases, a diminished or absent peripheral pulse could indicate underlying arterial insufficiency and should be checked by a healthcare provider.

For a routine check, you can count the beats for 30 seconds and multiply by two. For an irregular pulse or greater accuracy, count for a full 60 seconds.

Checking your pulse in your neck (carotid pulse) is generally safe, but you must avoid pressing on both sides at the same time. This can interrupt blood flow to the brain and cause you to feel dizzy or faint.