- Show the monofilament to the patient and apply the tip to the patient’s forehead or sternum to demonstrate normal sensation
- Ask the patient to say “yes” each time they sense the tip being applied to the skin
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Have the patient close their eyes and apply the tip to the skin proximal to the nail bed of the great toe, ensuring that the filament bends for one second before lifting from the skin
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Apply the monofilament 4 times to each great toe (or as shown below) in an arrhythmic fashion to prevent the patient from guessing when the tip is applied
- Poke → wait 2 second
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Assign a score on each application, with 0 representing no sensation, 0.5 indicating reduced sensation, and 1 representing fully intact sensation