Ballottement May 2026

Performed by applying a sharp tap to the abdominal wall to feel the fetus move away and return. 3. Abdominal Ballottement

Suspected knee trauma, arthritis flare-up, or unexplained swelling. Technique: ballottement

(from the French ballotter , meaning "to toss about") is a medical physical examination technique used to detect floating objects within a fluid-filled cavity. It is most commonly applied in orthopedics to check for knee swelling, in obstetrics to assess pregnancy, and in general medicine to evaluate abdominal organs. 1. Patellar Ballottement (Knee Effusion Test) Performed by applying a sharp tap to the

The clinician inserts two fingers into the vagina and gives a sharp upward tap against the lower segment of the uterus. If the fetus is present and not yet engaged in the pelvis, it will float upward and then fall back, tapping against the clinician’s fingers. Technique: (from the French ballotter , meaning "to

In pregnancy, ballottement is a "probable sign" used to detect the fetus as it floats in amniotic fluid.