Does a sports medicine doctor perform musculoskeletal ultrasound?

Musculoskeletal ultrasound uses a handheld probe and sound waves to create moving images of structures near the skin. It can help examine tendons, muscles, ligaments, fluid collections, and some joint changes while the body part moves. The clinician may compare sides or press on the area to connect the image with your symptoms. Ultrasound does not show every structure equally well, so an X-ray, MRI, or another assessment may be needed for deeper or bony problems. The scan is generally performed as part of a clinical examination rather than as a standalone answer.

Wear clothing that allows access to the painful area and bring previous reports or images. Tell the clinician where symptoms start, which movements trigger them, and whether there has been an injury. Ask what the scan can answer, whether another test is needed, and how the result changes treatment. You can usually describe discomfort during the examination so the clinician can adjust pressure or movement.

An ultrasound appointment should not delay urgent assessment for a deformed limb, sudden loss of strength or sensation, severe swelling after trauma, or inability to use the limb. Seek immediate help for chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, or a rapidly worsening allergic reaction if an injection was also given.

Ask which structure is being assessed, what the scan shows, and what it cannot rule out. Confirm whether you need a radiology report or another scan, and what treatment or follow-up follows from the findings.