Musculoskeletal Ultrasound

What is musculoskeletal ultrasound?

Musculoskeletal ultrasound is a diagnostic imaging technique that uses ultrasound waves to visualize soft tissues of the musculoskeletal system in real time: muscles, tendons, ligaments, bursae, nerves, and joints.

Unlike other imaging tests, ultrasound allows for dynamic assessment, observing structures while the patient performs movements or muscle contractions. This makes it a fundamental tool for accurate diagnosis and injury monitoring.

Advantages of ultrasound in physiotherapy

Musculoskeletal ultrasound offers multiple advantages that make it a differentiating resource in clinical practice:

Complete safety: It is a completely harmless test, without radiation or side effects. It can be performed as many times as necessary.

Real-time assessment: It allows observation of tissues while the patient moves, identifying problems not detected at rest.

Objective diagnosis: It provides images that complement clinical examination, reducing the margin of error in diagnosis.

Evolution monitoring: It allows comparing images between sessions to objectively evaluate patient recovery.

Guide for invasive treatments: It facilitates precise application of techniques such as dry needling or percutaneous electrolysis.

What conditions can we assess?

Ultrasound is especially useful for diagnosing and monitoring:

• Muscle and fiber tears of any grade

• Tendinopathies and tendinitis (shoulder, elbow, knee, Achilles...)

• Bursitis and joint effusions

• Ligament injuries and sprains

• Nerve entrapment syndromes (carpal tunnel, etc.)

• Cysts and calcifications

• Hematomas and bruises

What is an ultrasound session like?

The ultrasound session is quick, comfortable, and painless. The physiotherapist applies a conductive gel to the area to be explored and slides the transducer to obtain the images. During the examination, you may be asked to perform certain movements for a complete dynamic assessment.

Results are immediate: you will be able to see the images on screen and receive a detailed explanation of the findings. This information allows us to design a fully personalized treatment plan adjusted to your specific injury.