Ultrasound is a critical tool in the sports medicine physician’s toolkit. Suspected achilles or rotator cuff tear? Large bursitis or hematoma? The precision of in-office ultrasound complements our physical exam; we are often able to confirm a suspected diagnosis during the same visit. This saves our patients valuable time commuting between clinic centres.

 

The use of in-office ultrasound also allows Dr. Eardley to perform accurate, guided, in-office procedures. Many studies have consistently shown that “blind” or non-guided injections often miss the target. In fact, a cadaver study looking at the accuracy of acromioclavicular (AC) joint injections showed that ultrasound-guided injections were 90% accurate, versus a palpation-based approach with only 70% accuracy (1). Shoulder joint injections into the glenohumeral joint can also be difficult, with studies showing 76% accuracy with palpation vs 90% with the use of ultrasound (2). The accuracy of your doctor’s injection can affect the outcome of your treatment.