What Happened?
A golfer presented to our clinic with “burning” and “sometimes sharp” pain at the base of his heel. We used musculoskeletal (MSK) ultrasound to see what’s going on.
What MSK Ultrasound Showed?
What are we looking at?
This is the short axis views of both legs Achilles tendon attachments. Notice the arrow points to a spot on the left side that doesn’t look like the right? Unfortunately this is a partial insertional tear that must be immobilized to allow healing to occur and prevent further damage.
My thoughts?
While I hate giving my people bad news, this was another example of how powerful a tool MSK ultrasound is showing to be in giving an accurate diagnosis. We are able to instantly see what’s happening and form a plan of action without the delay of waiting for (and paying for!) an MRI.
Dr. Kyle Bowling is a sports chiropractor based in Louisville, Ky. His practice is one of few sports injury clinics in Louisville to offer musculoskeletal (MSK) ultrasound. Reach out anytime with questions!
