The radial pulse is located where?

• A. On the inner elbow
• B. At the base of the neck
• C. On the top of the foot near the ankle
• D. Located on the thumb side of the wrist

Answer: (D)

The radial pulse is felt on the thumb side of the wrist, where the radial artery runs just beneath the skin. This spot is easy to reach and ideal for quickly checking heart rate because the artery is close to the surface there. Other sites correspond to different arteries: the inner elbow is the brachial pulse, the base of the neck is the carotid pulse, and the top of the foot near the ankle is the dorsalis pedis pulse. So, the thumb-side wrist location is the correct place to take the radial pulse.