What is the significance of performing palpation last during an abdominal assessment?

• A. It prevents distortion of normal abdominal sounds.
• B. It makes the exam quicker.
• C. It hides any tenderness.
• D. It increases bowel movement.

Answer: (A)

Palpation last is important because touching the abdomen can stimulate peristalsis and temporarily alter bowel sounds. If you palpate first, the act of palpation may change the normal sounds you would otherwise hear, making auscultation findings unreliable. By doing inspection, auscultation, and percussion before palpation, you preserve the resting state of the bowel and can accurately detect the true rhythm and character of sounds, while still identifying tenderness when you finally palpate.