Sports Injury Ultrasound, Cardiff & South Wales
Self-refer. Consultant-led. Immediate results explained at your appointment.
sports injury scan
What's included
- ✓Consultant Radiologist scan, with results explained immediately
- ✓Written report within 24-48 hours
- ✓Digital scan images
- ✓Onward referral if needed
- ✓No GP referral required
Sports injury diagnosis
Same-week diagnosis with same-visit treatment options. We see tennis elbow, runner's knee, ankle sprains, hamstring tears, rotator cuff problems and more.
Muscle tears
Graded 1 to 3, with size, location and an indication of recovery time.
Tendon injuries
Tendinopathy, partial tears and full tears.
Ligament sprains
Acute and chronic injuries, with dynamic stress testing.
Joint effusions
Fluid in any joint.
Bursitis
Common in overuse injuries.
Stress reactions
Some bony stress changes are visible, though a suspected stress fracture is an MRI job.
Vascular & nerve injury
Less common, but assessed.
Return-to-sport planning
Recovery time and rehab guidance based on what the scan shows.
Know where the injury is?
Every area below is the same £260. If you already know what you have hurt, going straight to that page is quicker.
Not sport-related? Our joints & muscles scan covers the same areas from a general musculoskeletal angle.
Common sports injuries
What we commonly find
Most sports injuries involve soft tissue: tendons, ligaments and muscles. That is where ultrasound is strongest, and it is the only scan that can watch the tissue work while you move.
Rotator cuff tear
Throwing and swimming sports. See our shoulder scan.
Tennis & golfer's elbow
Racket sports, golf and lifting.
Hamstring tear
Sprinting and kicking sports.
Calf strain (tennis leg)
Tennis, jumping and running, particularly over 40. A swollen, painful calf can also be a clot, which our DVT scan rules out.
Plantar fasciitis & Achilles
Runners and triathletes.
Ankle ligament sprain
Football, netball and basketball.
Where an injection is appropriate, whether cortisone, PRP or hyaluronic acid, we can give it in the same visit under ultrasound guidance. See our injection therapy options. If the scan points to something surgical, we can refer you on within our orthopaedic clinic.
Preparation
How to prepare
No special prep. Just turn up ready to be examined, and we work around the injured area.
If you can't put weight on the leg or move the joint, that's fine. We adapt the scan.
Your appointment, step by step
Arrive
Free parking at Penarth. 5-minute walk from Penarth railway station.
Meet your consultant
Brief chat about your symptoms and history. Ask any questions.
The scan (30 mins)
Warm gel goes on the injured area and the consultant compares it with the uninjured side. You may be asked to tense the muscle or move the joint, which is how the size of a tear and the way it behaves under load are judged.
Immediate results
Your consultant explains the findings as they scan and again at the end, so you leave knowing what's going on. Written report follows within 24-48 hours.
Had been waiting ages on the NHS to get a scan… so when I saw this service available on the high street I was surprised. Scan was organised for the same week, totally worth it. Actually got a diagnosis for once. Dr Junaid was very thorough and explained everything.
Transparent, all-inclusive
One price per body area. Two different areas — or both sides of one — in a single visit is £360, and three areas is £399.
Any one body area
- ✓One area, one side — or both sides of one area for £360
- ✓Immediate results explained, plus written report in 24-48 hrs
- ✓Same-week, no GP referral required
Two-area scan
- ✓Two different areas, or both sides of one, in a single appointment
- ✓Ideal when more than one thing is troubling you
- ✓Save £160 versus two separate scans
Three-area scan
- ✓Three areas assessed in the same appointment
- ✓Great for multi-site or overuse injuries
- ✓Save £381 versus three separate scans
All prices include consultation, scan, written report, digital images and any onward referral if required. Injections are charged separately.
Our Penarth clinic
Patients travel to us from Cardiff, Newport, Bridgend, Barry, Caerphilly, Swansea and the Vale.
Common questions about sports injury ultrasound
How much does a sports injury ultrasound cost?
£260 all-inclusive for one body area. Two areas, or both sides of one, in one appointment is £360, and three areas is £399. Any injection given on the day is charged separately.
Do I need a referral?
No, you can self-refer and book online.
Can I be seen the same day?
Often, yes. Fresh injuries benefit from early assessment, so call 029 2199 9300 and we will find you the first available slot.
Can I get treatment in the same visit?
Yes. Where it is appropriate, we offer same-visit cortisone injection, PRP, hyaluronic acid or barbotage. See our injection therapy page, and note that injections are charged separately from the scan.
Ultrasound or MRI for a sports injury?
Ultrasound is fast, repeatable, well suited to tendons and muscles, and dynamic, so we can load the tissue and watch what happens. MRI is better for cartilage, bone and the deep structures ultrasound cannot reach, such as the ACL, labrum and meniscus. Most soft tissue injuries start with ultrasound, and we can arrange an MRI if more detail is needed.
How long until I can return to sport?
It depends on the grade and location of the injury. Your consultant gives you a recovery timeline based on what the scan actually shows, rather than a generic estimate, and explains what would delay it.
Do you do physio?
We do not offer physiotherapy directly, but we can recommend trusted physiotherapists for your rehab, and the written report gives them the detail they need to plan it.
Is the scan painful?
No. It is gentle probe pressure, and we work carefully around the most tender area.
Is ultrasound safe?
Yes. It uses sound waves rather than radiation, so it can be repeated as often as needed to track healing.
Will I get a written report?
Yes. Immediate verbal results at the appointment, plus a written consultant report within 24-48 hours.
Can ultrasound find ACL tears?
Not reliably. The ACL sits deep inside the knee where ultrasound cannot see it properly. We can pick up secondary signs such as a joint effusion, but MRI is the test of choice for a suspected ACL injury, and the same applies to the meniscus.
Where do I go?
Acorn Private Clinic at Penarth (CF64 2AD), 10 minutes from Cardiff.
Get the answers you need.
Self-refer for a private sports injury ultrasound. Consultant-led, same-week, with immediate results explained at your appointment and a written report within 24-48 hours. £260 all-inclusive.