Diagnostic Ultrasound Scan
in Eastleigh near Southampton

What Areas Do We Scan?

• 🦴 Shoulder – Rotator cuff, bursitis, impingement

• 🦵 Knee – Tendons, ligaments, effusions, bursae

• 🦶 Achilles Tendon – Tendinopathy, tears, paratenonitis

• 👣 Ankle & Foot – Ligaments, tendons, plantar fascia

• 🦴 Hip – Gluteal tendons, bursitis

• 💪 Elbow & Wrist – Tendon injuries, joint inflammation

Ultrasound in Musculoskeletal (MSK) Pathology — Eastleigh & Hampshire

Benefits and Risks of Joint Ultrasound

Ultrasound is a rapid, cost-effective and accurate method for imaging musculoskeletal structures. In many tendon and soft tissue cases, its high resolution can even outperform MRI in certain respects.

MSK ultrasound uses sound waves to visualise muscles, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and joints. It carries no radiation risk and has no known side effects.

When used by a trained clinician, ultrasound can answer the crucial question: “What type of injury is this?” It’s widely used in physiotherapy to assess musculoskeletal injuries.

It is especially valuable for extra-articular (outside the joint) pathologies such as:

• • Tennis elbow
  • Shoulder injuries — impingement, rotator cuff tears, bursitis
  • Knee injuries — ligament damage, bursitis, tendinopathy, pes anserine issues, ITB syndrome
  • Plantar fasciitis

While ultrasound is excellent for soft tissue and tendon work, it is not optimal for imaging inside joints or spinal structures — MRI is often preferred in those cases.

Ultrasound is also more accessible and far less expensive than MRI, and can deliver diagnostic imaging within minutes to guide your treatment plan.

Joint ultrasound remains a reliable, convenient tool for understanding and managing joint conditions in Eastleigh, Southampton, Winchester, and Romsey.

Shoulder Joint Scan – Eastleigh, Hampshire

Your shoulder ultrasound at Physio-Soton includes evaluation of:

• Long head of the biceps tendon & groove (anterior shoulder)
• Integrity of the entire rotator cuff (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis, teres minor)
• Posterior glenohumeral joint structures
• ACJ (acromioclavicular joint) assessment
• Sub-acromial / sub-coracoid impingement zones, if clinically relevant

The most common problems in the shoulder involve the rotator cuff. Ultrasound helps localise tendon tears, tendinopathy, bursitis, calcific deposits, and more — aiding your physiotherapist to design a targeted rehabilitation plan.

While ultrasound can assess the posterior labrum, internal joint injuries (e.g. clicking, locking) often require MRI for full evaluation (SLAP lesions, Hill-Sachs, etc.).

Using Ultrasound for Targeted Treatments at Physio Soton

Ultrasound isn’t just for diagnosis — it also plays a crucial role in guiding treatments safely and accurately. With real-time imaging, healthcare providers can perform ultrasound-guided injections, ensuring medication reaches exactly the right spot while minimizing discomfort and improving outcomes. This precision is especially valuable for conditions like joint inflammation, tendon injuries, or bursitis.

At our Eastleigh clinic, serving Southampton, Winchester, and Romsey, we combine detailed joint ultrasound assessment with targeted interventions to give you the most effective, personalized care. Learn more about our ultrasound-guided injections and how this advanced technique can help manage joint pain and improve mobility.

For other specific concerns, our ultrasound services also support diagnosis and monitoring of tendon injuries, ligament tears, and soft tissue conditions, linking seamlessly with our specialized pages for each area.

Knee Joint Scan in Eastleigh near Southampton

A knee ultrasound can assess multiple structures. Commonly scanned regions include:

• Anterior knee — quadriceps tendon, fat pad, suprapatellar recess, patellar tendon, Hoffa’s fat pad
• Medial & lateral knee — peripheral meniscal regions, ligaments, pes anserine bursa, tendon insertions
• Posterior knee — posterior meniscal horns, Baker’s cyst, tendon insertions

We also look for signs of degeneration, osteoarthritis, joint effusion, or para-meniscal cysts.

Hip Joint Ultrasound Scan

Ultrasound is excellent for imaging structures outside the hip joint. We evaluate in three zones: anterior, lateral, and posterior.

We assess for joint fluid, tendon pathologies (e.g. iliopsoas, gluteal tendons), bursitis, and cortical bone changes (which may suggest osteoarthritis or CAM lesions).

Common hip region bursitis types include iliopsoas, trochanteric, and ischio-gluteal bursitis.

Achilles & Ankle Ultrasound Scan

The Achilles tendon is one of the most injury-prone structures. Its poor blood supply often leads to slow healing. Many athletes and active individuals develop bilateral symptoms.

A resource I sometimes use: a patient leaflet and exercise program from Oxford University (NHS) for Achilles tendinopathy.

With ultrasound we can visualise subtle changes in the tendon, including:

• Achilles tendinosis / tendinopathy
• Partial or full thickness tears
• Paratenonitis (inflammation around the tendon sheath)
• Calcific changes, enthesopathy, Haglund’s deformity

For ankle injuries (e.g. inversion sprains), we often assess ligaments (ATFL, CFL, AITFL) and tendons (peroneus longus, peroneus brevis) dynamically to check for integrity and motion-related instability.

Wrist Ultrasound Scan

The wrist is a complex region with multiple bones, ligaments and tendons. We see patients with:

• Localised tendon pain (tendinopathy)
• General wrist pain (e.g. osteoarthritis, gout, synovitis)
• Nerve entrapment such as carpal tunnel syndrome

Ultrasound can visualise structures such as the distal radioulnar joint, radiocarpal recess, scapho-lunate ligament, flexor and extensor compartments, carpal tunnel, and more. We look for nerve compression, tendon tears or inflammation, effusion, and rheumatologic change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is MSK ultrasound scan safe?

MSK ultrasound uses sound waves to produce images of muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and nerves. It does not use X-rays or radiation. Ultrasound has been used safely in medical practice for many years and is considered a very safe examination when performed by trained clinicians.

Where is your clinic?

Address: 297 High Street, Eastleigh, SO50 5NB

Are there any side effects?

No — musculoskeletal ultrasound is completely safe and non-invasive. We always adhere to the ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) principle, keeping scan times minimal.

How much does an ultrasound scan cost?

The cost is £120, which includes consultation, the scan, and physiotherapy advice.

How can I book an ultrasound scan?

You can book online or call our Eastleigh clinic on 02382 182416.

Can my GP and I receive a copy of the scan report?

Yes — we will send the scan report to both you and your GP via email.