Course Content
The courses is taught by highly experienced dual-trained physiotherapists/MSK sonographers and sports medicine consultants combining over 40 years scanning experience. We teach you the basic skills required to incorporate MSK ultrasound into your clinical practice and the knowledge and resources to further develop your scanning skills. The course is a mixture of lectures, case studies, demonstrations and practical workshops. The practical workshops take place in small groups with close supervision from our expert tutors.
Over the two days, short lectures cover basic physics, artefacts, knobology, image optimisation, quality assurance, medico-legal and clinical governance issues. A significant part of the course is practical workshops with ample time for delegates to scan under close supervision. We cover the knee, shoulder and ankle joints in detail. This includes the ligaments, nerves, surrounding musculature and tendons for each body part. The elbow, lateral hip and wrist are covered in less detail unless specifically requested. Where appropriate ultrasound-guided injections will be discussed with the group.
Who should attend?
This programme attracts MSK Radiologists, GPs with a special interest in MSK/Sports Medicine, Surgeons, Sports Medicine Consultants, Physiotherapists, Radiographers, Podiatrists, Sonographers and Osteopaths.
Course pre-requisites
Must be a health care professional with significant clinical experience
If practising in the UK, must be registered with the relevant UK professional body e.g. GMC, HCPC, SOR etc.
Locations & dates
Price: £695 per place
Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health (ISEH), 170 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 7HA
- Sat 27 – Sun 28 Feb 2027 08:45–16:30
- Thu 22 – Fri 23 Apr 2027 08:45–16:30
- Fri 25 – Sat 26 Jun 2027 08:45–16:30
Day 1 Timetable
08:45 – 09:00 | Registration
09:00 – 10:00 | Introduction
US applications in clinical setting and sports medicine. Tissue characterisation.
10:00 – 11:30 | Scanning Skills
The Essentials: Patient and practitioner positioning; Hand setting, pressure; Orientation in anatomical not radiology planes; Landmarks; Transverse/longitudinal spin; Sonopalpation; Dynamic scanning
Skills Training: Know the anatomy and scan the anatomy. Integrate US within clinical assessment
Practice: Achilles and calf muscle
Tissue Visualisation: Tendon: Achilles tendon; Muscles: calf muscle; Ligament: MCL; Joint: knee/ankle; Nerve: sciatic nerve; Tendon with synovial sheath: tibialis posterior
11:30 – 11:45 | Break
11:45 – 12:45 | Knee Part 1
Anterior Practical: Distal quadriceps; Infrapatellar tendon; Fat pads, suprapatellar recess. Medial: MCL; Peripheral margin medial meniscus; Medial retinaculum
Knee Cases: Presentation and discussion. Differential diagnosis, treatment implications. MRI versus US.
12:45 – 13:30 | Lunch
13:30 – 14:45 | Shoulder Part 1
Anterior Practical: Biceps tendon; Rotator cuff
Shoulder Cases: Presentation and discussion
14:45 – 15:00 | Break
15:00 – 16:45 | Ankle Part 1
Anterior Practical: Tibialis anterior tendon; Extensor hallucis/digitorum tendons; Tibiotalar joint capsule. Lateral: Peroneal tendons and retinaculum; ATFL
Ankle Cases: Presentation and discussion
Day 2 Timetable
08:45 – 09:00 | Registration
09:00 – 11:30 | Introduction & Shoulder Part 2
Consolidate the basics. Expanding your skills: more challenging structures. Dynamic testing ligaments, tendons, joints, muscles. Soft tissue landmarks in muscles. Transverse/longitudinal spin. Dynamic tests.
Shoulder Part 2: Rotator cuff
Practical: Rotator cuff interval; Coraco-acromial ligament; Postero-superior gleno-humeral joint; Impingement tests
11:30 – 11:45 | Break
11:45 – 12:45 | Knee Part 2
Lateral Knee Practical: LCL, ITB; Lateral meniscus; Popliteal tendon; Posterior joint; PCL; Posteromedial corner and pes anserinus; Medial and lateral patellar retinaculum
Knee cases: Presentation and discussion. When is ultrasound assessment indicated?
12:45 – 13:30 | Lunch
13:30 – 15:00 | Ankle Part 2
Putting your skills to the test! Challenging structures and dynamic testing.
Practical: Lateral: peroneal tendons, ATFL, CFL. Posterior: Achilles and calf muscle, flexor hallucis longus, tibiotalar and subtalar capsule, plantar fascia. Medial: Tarsal tunnel, deltoid ligament. Anterior: Tibialis anterior, flexors hallucis/digitorum, tibiotalar joint
Ankle cases: Presentation and discussion
15:00 – 15:15 | Break
15:15 – 16:30 | Revision & Requests
US in sports injuries: Presentation
What to do next: Use your skills and learn to recognise: Spectrum of normal anatomy; Spectrum of tissue changes and trauma; Spectrum of tissue healing and complications; Practise and gain experience!; Different pathways
