How to Check Your Pulse

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Use your index finger and middle finger when finding your pulse.

   Don't use your thumb, as its own pulse is strong enough to interfere with your reading.
   
   Find the radial pulse.
   
   This is the pulse on the side of the wrist nearest your body.
   
   Use the pads of your fingers.
   
   Place them just below the wrist creases on the thumb side.
   
   Press lightly until you feel the blood pulsing under your skin.
   
   If necessary, move your fingers around a bit until you feel the pulse. (It's there, just not always easy to locate.) Find the carotid pulse.
   
   To feel a pulse on the side of the neck just below the jawline, place your index and middle fingers in the hollow between the windpipe and the large muscle in the neck.
   
   Press lightly until you feel a pulse.
   
   This is sometimes easier than finding the pulse in your wrists.
2. 2

   Step 2: Check and record your heart rate.

   Use a watch or clock with a second hand or digital second display.
   
   Count the number of times you feel a throb for one minute (60 seconds).
   
   This is the most accurate method.
   
   If you're in a hurry, you could count the beats you feel for 15 seconds and multiply by four or count beats for 30 seconds and multiply by two.
   
   These options will work but are not quite as accurate as counting for a full minute. , The normal resting heart rate for an adult is 60-100 beats per minute.
   
   Normal heart rate for children under 18 is 70-120 beats per minute. .
   
   This applies to a person who is at rest.
   
   Any physical activity will increase the pulse rate. , The strength of your pulse cannot be calculated precisely, but experienced professionals will characterize a pulse as "weak"
   
   "faint"
   
   "strong"
   
   or "bounding".
   
   This is an indication of the health of the heart and vascular system. , You're looking for regularity of pulsations and the pauses between them.
   
   If your pulse is steady, note it as "regular." If you detect a skip or other fluctuation in the pulse, it may be termed "irregular." This is not necessarily a cause for alarm, but if you note a consistent irregularity, you should seek medical advice (as noted below). , Place the tips in different places and stop at each location for five seconds. , Sometimes either lightening your touch or pressing harder will help you find a pulse. , Holding your hand up near your head can make your pulse less distinct.
   
   Dropping your hand will slightly alter your blood flow through that wrist and make it easier to detect a pulse. , If you have such an instrument, use it here.
   
   Lift up or remove your shirt, hold the stethoscope against your bare chest, and listen.
   
   Count each beat as you hear it, and listen for any skipped beats. , This is the highest your pulse rate can get.
   
   You will use your potential maximum heart rate to determine your target heart rate.
   
   To find yours, follow this formula: 220
   - your age = predicted maximum heart rate.
   
   Try exercising intensely for 30 minutes.
   
   Check your heart rate immediately after (or even during) your exercise.
   
   Compare your actual exercising heart rate to your potential maximum rate.
   
   The numbers should be fairly close.
   
   If you're taking your pulse during exercise, keep your feet moving as you do so or blood might accumulate in your extremities. , This is 60 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate.
   
   The reason there is a range rather than a solid number is that everyone has a different fitness level.
   
   While you exercise, check your pulse for 15 seconds.
3. 3

   Step 3: Establish your normal heart rate.

4. 4

   Step 4: Check the strength of the pulse to see if it is strong or weak.

5. 5

   Step 5: Check the rhythm of your pulse.

6. 6

   Step 6: Try using your fingertips instead of laying your fingers across your wrist.

7. 7

   Step 7: Try varying the pressure of your fingertips on your wrist.

8. 8

   Step 8: Try checking for a pulse while dropping your hand toward the floor.

9. 9

   Step 9: Use a stethoscope.

10. 10

    Step 10: Find your potential maximum heart rate.

11. 11

    Step 11: Find your target heart rate.

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