Many patients arrive in physical therapy weeks or months after an injury, often stalled by fear, diagnostic ambiguity, and imaging reports that tell only part of the story. Alarming findings on a radiology report—like a ‘partial tear’ or ‘severe degeneration’—frequently drive fear of movement, leaving patients convinced their tissue is too damaged to load.

For Dr. Christopher “CJ” Miller, PT, DPT—a physical therapist with Frontline Function practicing across orthopedic, primary care, and urgent care settings—point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in his clinic bridges this diagnostic and educational gap. By bringing high-definition imaging directly to the bedside, he can assess pathology in real time and immediately guide proactive rehabilitation.

A lot of our patients come to us really fearful about their pain,” says Dr. Miller. “Fearful that they’re not going to be able to do the things they love—like surf, or play with their kids, or get off their couch. I had a patient who came in who had an MRI, and their MRI showed a partial tear in their shoulder. All they are thinking about is, ‘There is a tear in my shoulder. This isn’t going to heal. I’m hosed.'”

CJ uses a Clarius handheld ultrasound machine in combination with a clinical exam to help his patients clearly understand their injury and how they can get better.

We show them on ultrasound, even though they have an MRI. We show them their shoulder on ultrasound, and we’re able to show where the pathology is, but then we’re able to show how much healthy tendon is still there and how the majority of the tendon looks really good. That still means there’s 80% of functioning tendon left.”

Watch this 3-minute video interview with CJ to learn more.

Free Registration: MSK POCUS Webinar for the Frontline Provider

On October 6, join Dr. Miller for an exclusive Clarius webinar: “MSK Point-of-Care Ultrasound for Physical Therapy: A Clinical Reasoning Tool for the Frontline Provider.”

Whether you’re new to point-of-care ultrasound or already scanning and want to sharpen your skills, you’ll get an authentic, practice-based look at how musculoskeletal point-of-care ultrasound (MSK POCUS) fits into everyday physical therapy care, not as a novelty add-on, but as a genuine clinical reasoning tool.

During this 1-hour session, Dr. Miller will:

• Capture the details of how MSK POCUS can be used in physical therapy practice, in an authentic way
• Define the role of point-of-care ultrasound as a clinical reasoning tool
• Identify the clinical scenarios where MSK POCUS is most appropriate and helpful
• Discuss the risks and common pitfalls when implementing MSK POCUS into clinical practice

Gain More Insights with Clarius ultrasound

From first injury to full recovery, Clarius portable ultrasound for MSK delivers the imaging and guidance you need. If you’re interested in learning more about Clarius ultrasound for your MSK practice, a Clarius expert is available to provide a custom virtual demonstration.