Private Ankle Ultrasound Scan in London

At London Private Ultrasound an ankle ultrasound scan is £199 for one ankle and £299 for both, all-inclusive, at our Central London (Harley Street Medical District) and St Albans clinics. The price covers an MSK-specialist appointment, a full assessment of the Achilles tendon, the lateral ligaments (ATFL, CFL and PTFL), the syndesmosis, the peroneal, tibialis posterior, tibialis anterior and flexor tendons, the retrocalcaneal bursa, the ankle joint and the tarsal tunnel, dynamic stress testing, same-day verbal results and a full written report within 24 hours. There are no added fees, and we will share the report with your GP, physiotherapist or specialist on request.

Across the UK, private ankle ultrasound cost typically ranges from around £135 to £300, and the difference usually comes down to who performs and reports the scan and whether the assessment is dynamic. Booking both ankles together saves £99 against two separate single-ankle appointments.

An ankle ultrasound shows the soft tissues around the ankle in high resolution and in real time: the Achilles tendon along its full length and at its heel insertion, the lateral ligaments (ATFL, CFL and PTFL), the anterior syndesmotic ligament, the peroneal tendons and their retinaculum, tibialis posterior, tibialis anterior and flexor hallucis longus, the retrocalcaneal bursa, the ankle joint lining and any fluid within it, and the tibial nerve in the tarsal tunnel.

It identifies tendinopathy and tendon tears, ligament sprains and tears, tendon subluxation, tenosynovitis, bursitis, joint effusion and synovitis, ganglion cysts and other soft-tissue lumps. Because it is dynamic, it also shows problems that only appear on movement, such as a peroneal tendon snapping out of its groove or ligament laxity under stress.

Yes. Ultrasound is a first-line test for a sprained ankle and directly images the lateral ligament complex, most importantly the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL), which is the ligament injured in the large majority of ankle sprains, and the calcaneofibular ligament (CFL). It shows ligament thickening, fibre disruption and partial or complete tears.

It can also perform a real-time anterior drawer stress test, so the clinician can see how much the joint opens under load and distinguish a stable sprain that needs rehabilitation from a significant tear with instability that may need a specialist opinion. If the sprain was severe, you cannot weight-bear, or there is bony tenderness, an X-ray to exclude a fracture should come first.

Yes, ultrasound is an excellent test for the Achilles tendon. It shows mid-portion tendinopathy (thickening and degeneration a few centimetres above the heel), insertional tendinopathy and retrocalcaneal bursitis at the heel, partial tears, and complete ruptures where a gap between the tendon ends can be seen directly. Because the scan is dynamic, the clinician can also watch the tendon as the ankle is moved.

If you suspect a complete rupture — a sudden pop or snap at the back of the ankle with an inability to push off or stand on tiptoe — please call 020 7101 3377 so we can arrange urgent same-day assessment. The timing of treatment matters here.

For the tendons, ligaments, bursae and nerves around the ankle, high-resolution ultrasound is an excellent first-line test, and it has one advantage over MRI: it images the ankle moving and under stress, which is how peroneal tendon subluxation, ligament laxity and snapping are best seen.

MRI is better for the bone itself, for osteochondral (cartilage) lesions of the talus, for bone marrow oedema and stress fractures, and for the deeper parts of the joint. In practice, ultrasound is the ideal first test for most ankle pain, and if the findings suggest a bone or cartilage problem, an MRI or X-ray is the right next step. We will tell you clearly if that applies to you.

Ultrasound is a soft-tissue test, so for a suspected broken ankle an X-ray is the correct first test. Ultrasound can sometimes show a step in the surface of the bone or an avulsion fragment, and MRI or CT is used where the X-ray is clear but a fracture is still suspected.

If you have had significant trauma, cannot weight-bear, or have bony tenderness over the ankle bones, please attend urgent care or A&E for an X-ray first. Ultrasound is the right test once a fracture has been excluded and the question is whether a tendon or ligament is damaged.

Yes, and this is one of the clearest advantages ultrasound has over MRI. Peroneal tendon subluxation, where the tendons snap forwards over the outer ankle bone because the retinaculum holding them is torn or lax, only happens on movement, so a static MRI can easily miss it. During an ultrasound the clinician asks you to move the ankle and watches the tendons live, so the tendon can be seen jumping out of its groove as it happens.

The same applies to other causes of a clicking or snapping ankle, including a triggering flexor hallucis longus tendon. What the scan shows often decides whether the treatment is rehabilitation or a surgical opinion.

Ultrasound is a useful first-line test for tarsal tunnel syndrome, which is compression of the tibial nerve behind the inner ankle bone causing burning, tingling or numbness in the sole of the foot. The scan images the tibial nerve and its branches inside the tunnel, measures the nerve where it is enlarged, and looks for the things that compress it: a ganglion cyst, a varicose vein complex, an accessory muscle, thickened tissue or scarring after an injury.

Finding the cause matters, because a compressing ganglion is treated very differently from nerve irritation with no structural cause. Nerve conduction studies and MRI are sometimes used alongside ultrasound where the picture is unclear.

For a swollen ankle, ultrasound separates the common causes quickly. It shows fluid inside the ankle joint (an effusion) and inflammation of the joint lining, tenosynovitis where fluid surrounds a tendon sheath, bursitis at the back of the heel, a ganglion or other soft-tissue lump, and soft-tissue swelling after an injury. Doppler is used to assess how active any inflammation is, which is useful in gout, rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis.

Two things to flag. If your ankle swelling comes with calf pain and tightness, a clot in the leg veins is an important alternative diagnosis and a DVT Doppler scan is the correct test, so tell us if that is your pattern of symptoms. And swelling in both ankles with no injury is more often a general medical cause — heart, kidney, liver or medication related — which is best assessed by a doctor.

The NHS does offer ankle ultrasound, but usually only after a GP referral and often after a period of physiotherapy, with a wait for the appointment and then a further wait for the report.

A private ankle ultrasound is for people who want a fast, specialist answer, frequently the same or next day, with the findings explained in the room and a written report they can share with their GP, physiotherapist or surgeon. No GP referral is required to book with us, and we work alongside the NHS: if your scan shows something that needs urgent orthopaedic attention, we write a referral letter the same day.

Allow about 25 to 35 minutes for a single ankle, or a little longer if both ankles are being scanned, because the examination covers the Achilles, the lateral ligaments, the medial and lateral tendons, the joint and the tarsal tunnel, and includes dynamic stress testing. Your findings are explained straight after the scan, and the full written report follows within 24 hours.

You get verbal results the same day: the clinician explains what they have found immediately after the scan, shows you the images and answers your questions. A full written report with images follows the same day or within 24 hours, formatted so you can share it with your GP, physiotherapist, podiatrist or orthopaedic surgeon.

On request, we can send the report directly to them to speed up your next step.

No, a GP referral is not required. You can self-refer and book directly online, by phone on 020 7101 3377, or on WhatsApp, with same-day and next-day appointments often available at both clinics.

If you have previous X-ray, ultrasound or MRI reports for the ankle, bring them so the clinician can read today’s findings in context. For a suspected complete Achilles rupture, please call us so we can arrange urgent assessment.

It is painless and non-invasive. You sit or lie on the couch, warm gel is applied to the skin, and the clinician moves a small probe over the back, inner, outer and front of the ankle, viewing the structures on screen. There are no needles and nothing internal.

You will be asked to point and flex the foot and to turn the ankle in and out so the tendons and ligaments can be assessed in motion and under gentle stress. If a movement is uncomfortable because of your symptoms, tell the clinician and they will adapt. You can walk and drive normally afterwards.

Book the ankle scan if your symptoms are at the ankle joint itself, the back of the heel, the Achilles, the inner or outer ankle bone, or if you have had a sprain, an unstable ankle, or a clicking or snapping ankle. Book a foot scan if your pain is in the sole, the arch, the ball of the foot or the toes, for example plantar fasciitis or a Morton’s neuroma.

If your symptoms genuinely span both areas, for example heel pain that could come from either the Achilles or the plantar fascia, a combined foot and ankle appointment can be selected in the booking calendar above. If you are unsure, call 020 7101 3377 and we will tell you which appointment to book.

Yes. If the scan confirms a treatable problem, an ultrasound-guided ankle injection can often be arranged: a retrocalcaneal bursa injection, an ankle joint injection for synovitis or gout, a peroneal or tibialis posterior tendon sheath injection, or a high-volume or PRP injection around an Achilles tendon.

Placing the needle under live ultrasound means it goes exactly where it is needed, which is more reliable than an unguided injection, and it matters especially around the Achilles, where steroid is deliberately kept out of the tendon body. Our one-stop orthopaedic and MSK clinic can take you from scan to treatment quickly. Treatment is booked and charged separately from the scan.

Ultrasound is radiation-free and can be appropriate for children in the right circumstances, for example after a sports injury or for heel pain, a soft-tissue lump or a swollen ankle. Please call us on 020 7101 3377 first so we can confirm suitability and arrange the right appointment with the right clinician. A parent or guardian stays in the room throughout.

London Private Ultrasound has two clinics. Central London is at 27 Welbeck Street, W1G 8EN, in the Harley Street Medical District, a short walk from Bond Street, Oxford Circus and Marylebone. St Albans is at 54–56 Victoria Street, AL1 3HZ, serving Hertfordshire and North London.

Both offer the £199 ankle scan (£299 both ankles), seven days a week, 9am to 7pm, with MSK-specialist clinicians and same-day and next-day appointments often available.