A doctor’s appointment may feel like it begins when the blood-pressure cuff comes out, but an experienced clinician can start gathering useful information the moment you walk through the door. How you walk, rise from a chair, speak, breathe, hear questions, and interact with your surroundings can provide clues about health and everyday function before the formal examination begins. In fact, clinical guidance on examining older adults specifically notes that watching someone enter the room, sit down, stand up, and get onto the examination table can reveal valuable information about function. None of these observations automatically means something is wrong, and doctors use them alongside your history, physical examination, medications, tests, and other evidence. Here are 10 things that doctors likely notice before you ever sit on the exam table.
