Orthopedic Testing and Diagnosis

Diagnosing an orthopedic condition usually starts with a review of your symptoms, medical history and how the problem is affecting your movement or daily activities. Based on what your provider finds, imaging such as an X-ray or MRI may be recommended to get a closer look at your bones, joints and soft tissues. Our goal is a clear diagnosis so your care team can recommend the right treatment for you.

Physical Exam

Your provider will ask about your symptoms and check the area that is bothering you, looking at how well you can move, how strong it feels, and whether certain movements cause pain. This helps your care team understand the likely cause and decide whether imaging or other tests are needed.

Diagnostic Imaging

Imaging lets your care team see what is happening inside your body. Depending on your symptoms, you may have an X-ray, MRI, CT scan or ultrasound to look more closely at your bones, joints and soft tissues.

• X-ray shows bones clearly and is often the first test for fractures, dislocations and arthritis.
• MRI gives a detailed view of soft tissues like ligaments, tendons and cartilage, which is useful for injuries such as ACL tears.
• CT scan combines X-ray images for a more detailed look at complex fractures and bone structure.
• Ultrasound shows soft tissues in motion and can guide certain injections.