With acute injuries, extent and localization of pain may turn out clearly different and be perceived in a varying way. Apart from the mere limitation of the pain to the affected joint or the tendon/bursa/muscle, pain spreading to adjoining areas (both to the arm and the neck/back regions with the shoulder joint, for example) may ensue.

Diagnostics starts with an inspection of the joint as well as a check of the extent of movement. In order to exclude a disease caused by the spinal column, it is absolutely necessary to examine the same in case of shoulder or hip joint injuries, for instance.

For the clinical examination of the relevant joint affected, a number of functional examination tests have been developed which are fully used as necessary. Depending on the relevant result, indications regarding the diagnosis can be achieved.

In imaging diagnostics, the known procedures are available, with x-rays standing at the beginning. Using this procedure, acute injuries (luxation, fractures) can in most cases clearly be diagnosed. As for changes in the soft tissue, sonography (ultrasound) suggests itself. Due to the fact that they are positioned on the surface, changes in the tendon or also irritations of the bursa can be illustrated well by means of this examination method. Computer tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are used in order to get additional information about the exact location and the extent of the change, for instance.