Imaging of Acute Musculotendinous Injuries

Abstract

Musculotendinous injuries represent a major concern in sports medicine, with significant implications for athlete recovery and performance. Ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging, in particular, play a crucial role in diagnosing and monitoring these injuries, guiding treatment strategies, and estimating prognosis. Understanding the anatomy and distribution of connective tissue is fundamental to identifying and classifying musculotendinous injuries accurately. This review focuses on the imaging features of musculotendinous injuries and their evolution, emphasizing the role of connective tissue and the anatomical differences influencing injury patterns. It also examines current grading systems and their prognostic value, highlighting the need for muscle-specific subclassifications to improve accuracy in predicting return to play.