Reflex is a pioneer in using ultrasound to proactively diagnose knee injuries, often before symptoms like pain and stiffness appear.
An ultrasound knee assessment is a safe, fast, and non-invasive tool to evaluate the overall health of your knee. Whether you are an active individual, a prior or current athlete, or a person who is suffering from knee pain, we recommend that you schedule an annual ultrasound assessment to determine the overall condition inside your knees.
Common joint injuries that Reflex uncovers through our knee ultrasound assessment include:
- Osteoarthritis
- Synovitis
- Bursitis
- Tendon strain or tear
- Ligament injuries (MCL or LCL)
- Cartilage damage
- Bone remodeling
- Torn Meniscus or cyst
- Baker’s cyst (popliteal cyst)
These conditions are especially prevalent in individuals who have a history of playing sports and/or have worked at jobs that involve a lot of kneeling, squatting, or lifting.
Why get an annual knee assessment?
Even if you are not currently experiencing knee pain, an ultrasound knee assessment can help identify pathologies in the early stages – before symptoms become consistent. Many patients with knee injuries or osteoarthritis are asymptomatic – the joint undergoes a ‘silent destruction’ for years, and by the time symptoms arise, the damage is often advanced. Unfortunately, any cartilage damage is irreversible, so preventing further damage is key to future joint health and function.
Early identification allows us to take timely preventative action that may include joint fluid therapy, PRP, bracing, and physical therapy. These non-surgical knee treatments are more effective when the condition is identified and treated early. They can limit the damage to your knee, depending on your specific diagnosis and overall condition of the joint.
Schedule your annual ultrasound knee assessment
Our physicians are skilled in knee injury prevention and treatment and our priority is to get you back to your sport or job as safely and quickly as possible.
Take preventative and proactive action for your knee health. Call (503) 719-6783 and schedule your ultrasound assessment today.
The advantages of ultrasound
One major benefit of ultrasound (over X-ray or MRI) is that it can be used to provide a dynamic view of the knee joint. Unlike MRI, which provides a single static view, diagnostic ultrasound allows us to assess the integrity of knee structures during motion or under stress. It’s fast and inexpensive compared to an MRI -- a full knee ultrasound can be completed in about 20 minutes with immediately available results. And, unlike X-rays, ultrasound does not utilize ionizing radiation. This makes it one of the safest available options for evaluating knee pain.
How an ultrasound knee assessment works
Ultrasound images are made by sending a pulse of sound waves into the knee tissue. The sound reflects (or echoes) from parts of the tissue, and those echoes are then recorded and displayed as an image.
The ultrasound serves as a virtual window into your knee, visualizing vital knee structures and stabilizers – the tendons, muscles, and ligaments vital to proper knee biomechanics. It also allows our providers to peer into the knee and determine the overall health and condition of the joint.
Ultrasound exams can also help us accurately assess the overall health of your knee cartilage – and whether bony changes associated with knee arthritis (known as osteophytes) are present. Changes to cartilage can be seen with ultrasound many years before damage is visible on MRI or Xray.
Give us a call at (503) 719-6783 and schedule your ultrasound knee assessment today.