MSK Ultrasound Assessment in Durham, NC

No. Musculoskeletal Ultrasound and MRI are different imaging tools, and each has unique advantages. MSK Ultrasound provides real-time imaging, allowing your provider to evaluate muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and joints during movement. This can be especially helpful when assessing how tissues function during specific activities or movements. MRI provides a more comprehensive view of an entire anatomical region and may be useful when additional diagnostic information is needed. Ultrasound and MRI are not competing tests. They are complementary tools that provide different types of information. When appropriate, your provider may recommend MRI as part of your evaluation and treatment plan.

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) may be used to evaluate selected musculoskeletal tissues in real time during your visit. It may help identify soft-tissue injuries and abnormalities; evaluate muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints; assess tissues during movement; evaluate muscle activation and function; monitor healing and recovery; support treatment planning; and help determine the next appropriate step within the Specialized MSK Care Model™. Ultrasound imaging is a valuable tool within the MSK Ultrasound Assessment and helps support the first step of our process: Identify the Problem → Address the Tissue → Restore the Movement.

MSK ultrasound provides real-time information about selected muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and other soft tissues, helping your provider identify findings that may be contributing to pain, dysfunction, or movement limitations. This information may help determine whether your care should focus on addressing the involved tissue through MSK Therapeutics, restoring movement through MSK Corrective Exercise, a combination of both services, or additional diagnostic evaluation when needed. MSK ultrasound is one tool used within the MSK Ultrasound Assessment to help identify the problem and guide the most appropriate path forward within our Specialized MSK Care Model™: Identify the Problem → Address the Tissue → Restore the Movement.

Not by itself. Ultrasound findings are only one part of the evaluation. The MSK Ultrasound Assessment may identify findings associated with your symptoms and help evaluate both tissue health and movement function. Unlike many imaging studies that evaluate tissues only at rest, ultrasound may also be used to assess selected muscles and soft tissues during movement when clinically appropriate. Ultrasound findings are not interpreted independently or used as the sole basis for a diagnosis. Findings are considered alongside your history, symptoms, physical examination, orthopedic assessment, and movement evaluation. The goal is not simply to identify what appears on an image, but to understand how those findings relate to your pain, movement limitations, and functional concerns so the most appropriate next step can be determined.

Not necessarily. The primary goal of the MSK Ultrasound Assessment is to identify the problem by evaluating the involved tissues, reviewing movement-related factors, and determining the most appropriate next step in your care. Depending on the findings, recommendations may include MSK Therapeutics, MSK Corrective Exercise, a combination of both services, or additional evaluation when appropriate. When clinically appropriate and scheduling permits, treatment may begin during the same visit. However, the assessment is first focused on understanding the problem before determining the most effective treatment approach: Identify the Problem → Address the Tissue → Restore the Movement.

Yes. However, not every problem requires treatment. The goal of the assessment is to determine the most appropriate next step in your care. The MSK Ultrasound Assessment helps identify whether a tissue injury, dysfunction, or healing limitation may benefit from MSK Therapeutics. If treatment is appropriate, your provider will discuss the available options and develop an individualized care plan based on your findings, symptoms, and goals.

Yes. However, not every problem requires corrective exercise or tissue-focused treatment. The goal of the assessment is to determine the most appropriate next step in your care. The MSK Ultrasound Assessment may help identify whether your symptoms are influenced by movement-related factors, including mobility restrictions, altered movement patterns, compensation strategies, or reduced neuromuscular control. If movement restoration is appropriate, your provider may recommend MSK Corrective Exercise to help restore efficient movement and improve long-term function. If recommended, an individualized plan will be developed based on your findings, symptoms, movement assessment, and goals. The goal is not simply to reduce pain; it is to restore efficient movement.

No. A referral is not required to schedule an MSK Ultrasound Assessment. Patients may schedule directly to begin the first step of our Specialized MSK Care Model™: Identify the Problem → Address the Tissue → Restore the Movement. If additional imaging, medical consultation, or referral is needed, your provider will discuss the most appropriate next steps based on your findings and goals.

Many musculoskeletal conditions involving the neck, back, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, pelvis, knee, ankle, and surrounding soft tissues can be evaluated as part of an MSK Ultrasound Assessment. However, not every condition or body region is best evaluated with ultrasound. The provider will determine whether MSK ultrasound is appropriate based on your symptoms, the region involved, and the clinical question being evaluated. If additional information is needed, recommendations may include MRI, radiology services, specialist referral, or another form of medical evaluation to help identify the problem and determine the most appropriate next step in your care.