Musculoskeletal (MSK) Ultrasound: Seeing Your Pain in Motion

You twisted your knee playing soccer, or maybe your shoulder has been nagging you every time you reach for the top shelf. You went to the doctor, got an X-ray, and the results came back "normal."

 

But you know it isn't normal. You are still in pain.

 

This is a common frustration for patients. The reason is simple: X-rays are designed to look at bone, not soft tissue.

 

If your bone isn't broken, the X-ray often can't tell you why you are hurting.

 

Enter Musculoskeletal (MSK) Ultrasound. This advanced technology allows us to look past the bone to see the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves that hold your body together.

 

At Frontier Diagnostics in Guelph, we specialize in this detailed imaging to give you the answers you need without the wait for an MRI.

 

The "Dynamic" Difference: Why Ultrasound Wins

Patients often ask us, "Is this as good as an MRI?"

For many conditions, it can be quite similar. The superpower of MSK ultrasound is Dynamic Imaging.​

 

During an ultrasound, our radiologist or technologist can ask you to move. We can watch your rotator cuff tendon sliding in real-time. We can ask you to "snap" your hip or flex your wrist. We can literally see the pain happening on the screen.

 

What Can We Diagnose?

We use MSK ultrasound to examine almost any joint in the body. Some of the most common injuries we diagnose include:

 

1. The Shoulder (Rotator Cuff)

This is our most requested MSK exam. We can see:

• Tears: Full or partial tears of the rotator cuff tendons.

• Bursitis: Fluid buildup that causes that deep, aching pain.

• Impingement: We can watch the tendon getting pinched as you move your arm.

 

2. The Elbow, Wrist, and Hand

• Tennis/Golfer’s Elbow: Inflammation of the tendons on the side of the elbow.

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: We can measure if the nerve in your wrist is swollen or compressed.

• Ganglion Cysts: Lumps and bumps on the wrist.

 

3. The Knee and Ankle

• Achilles Tendon: Checking for tears or tendinitis in runners.

• Ligament Sprains: Assessing the damage after a rolled ankle.

• Baker’s Cysts: Fluid collection behind the knee.

 

What to Expect at Your Appointment

If your doctor has ordered an MSK Ultrasound, here is the good news: it is painless and fast.

• Duration: Most scans take 15–30 minutes.

• Clothing: Wear loose clothing that allows easy access to the injured area (e.g., shorts for a knee scan, a tank top for a shoulder scan).

• The Exam: You will sit on a swivel chair or lie on a comfortable bed. We apply warm gel and move a small probe over the area. You might feel mild pressure if the area is tender, but there are no needles and no radiation.

 

Get Answers for Your Pain

You don't have to live with "mystery pain" while waiting months for advanced imaging.

 

If you have a requisition for an ultrasound of the shoulder, knee, ankle, or wrist, bring it to Frontier Diagnostics. We can help you see exactly what is going on beneath the surface.

 

Click here to book your Musculoskeletal Ultrasound appointment.

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This blog is for general information only and isn’t intended to be medical advice. Please consult a healthcare provider for any questions or concerns about your own health.