Private Ankle Ultrasound Scan in London
Achilles tendon, ankle ligaments and the tendons around the joint — assessed at rest and in motion, explained on screen as we scan.
- 30-minute appointment — unhurried, where most clinics allow 20
- Achilles assessed along its full length, at rest and moving
- Mid-portion and insertional problems distinguished
- Findings at the scan; written report usually within two hours
- No GP referral required — self-refer today
CQC-registered clinic · Provider ID 1-2775844974 · HCPC-registered sonographers
What is an ankle ultrasound scan?
An ankle ultrasound examines the Achilles tendon, the ligaments on the outer and inner sides of the joint, the tendons that run behind and around the ankle, and the bursae. All sit close to the surface, which is why ultrasound resolves them so well.
The Achilles in particular is ideally suited to it: large, superficial and easy to follow from calf to heel. And because the scan happens in real time, the tendon can be watched as the ankle flexes and points — movement that shows things a still image cannot.
Why might I need an ankle scan?
Most Achilles pain is tendinopathy: a gradual, load-related problem that builds over weeks, stiff and sore in the morning, easing as you warm up and complaining again afterwards. It responds to progressive loading, and the rehabilitation differs depending on exactly where along the tendon the problem sits.
Ankle ligament injuries are the other common reason. After a significant sprain, ultrasound shows whether a ligament is thickened, partially torn or completely disrupted — information that shapes how quickly you return to sport.
- Achilles pain that has not settled with rest
- Morning stiffness at the back of the heel or lower calf
- A thickened, tender area along the Achilles
- Persistent pain or instability after an ankle sprain
- Swelling around the ankle you want characterised
- A lump you want identified
- Achilles tendon along its full length, at rest and moving
- Mid-portion versus insertional involvement
- Partial tears and tendon thickening
- Retrocalcaneal and superficial bursae
- Lateral and medial ankle ligaments
- Peroneal and tibialis posterior tendons
- The other side for comparison where it helps
A sudden snap or pop at the back of the ankle — often described as feeling kicked from behind — with difficulty pushing off or rising onto the toes needs assessment today. Go to A&E or an urgent treatment centre, or call NHS 111. Outcomes are better when a rupture is treated early, and a proportion are missed at first because people can often still walk. Do not book a routine scan and wait.
Is this scan suitable for me?
A ankle ultrasound is a good fit if any of these sound like you:
- ✓Your Achilles pain has built gradually over weeks
- ✓Mornings are stiff and the first steps are the worst
- ✓You want to know whether the problem is mid-tendon or at the heel
- ✓A sprain has left pain or instability weeks later
- ✓There is swelling or a lump you want identified
- ✓Rehabilitation has stalled and you want to know what is there
And when it is not the right booking
You felt a sudden snap and cannot push off — that is a suspected rupture and needs urgent care today, not a booked scan.
You cannot bear weight after an injury — a fracture needs an X-ray, which we do not offer.
Pain worsens steadily through a run rather than easing — that pattern can suggest a bone stress injury, which needs MRI rather than ultrasound.
If a ankle ultrasound is not the right test for you, we will say so before you book — not after.
What happens on the day
- 1
Arrive — no preparation neededNothing to fast for. The appointment is 30 minutes.
- 2
Your history firstHow it started, whether there was a distinct moment, what provokes it, and how it behaves in the morning. Sudden onset changes everything about how we proceed.
- 3
Scanning face downLying face down with the feet over the end of the couch. The Achilles is followed from the calf to its insertion on the heel bone.
- 4
Assessed in motionThe ankle flexed and pointed while scanning, so the tendon is seen under load rather than only at rest.
- 5
Ligaments and other tendonsWhere a sprain is the story, the lateral and medial ligaments and the surrounding tendons are examined too.
- 6
Findings explained on screenYou see what we see during the scan, with the written report usually with you within two hours.
Understanding the Achilles
Where the problem sits, and why that changes the treatment.
Mid-portion tendinopathy
A few centimetres above the heel, where the tendon has the poorest blood supply. This is the commonest site and generally responds well to progressive loading, including work through a full range.
Insertional tendinopathy
Right where the tendon meets the heel bone, often with an irritated bursa alongside. It behaves differently: too much stretch into dorsiflexion tends to aggravate it, so the programme has to be adapted.
Rupture
A complete tear, usually sudden and during a push-off. Ultrasound can show the gap and measure it as the ankle moves — genuinely useful for surgical planning, but assessment belongs in urgent care on the day.
What your report might say
Achilles problems take months, not weeks. Improvement is usually gradual and non-linear, and progressive loading is what shifts it. Slow progress is normal for tendons rather than evidence that something has been missed.
Name the problem, target the rehabilitation
The whole tendon assessed at rest and moving, with ligaments and surrounding tendons where they matter — explained on screen as we scan.
How we scan ankles
Scanned by the person reporting it
The sonographer who scans you writes your report. Nothing goes to a remote reader.
Assessed in motion
The tendon is watched as the ankle moves, which is where partial tearing and gapping declare themselves.
Location stated precisely
Mid-portion or insertional is named in the report, because the two need different loading programmes.
Urgent cases routed properly
If your history suggests a rupture, we direct you to urgent care rather than taking the booking.
Ankle ultrasound — your questions answered
Can you walk on a ruptured Achilles?
How long does Achilles tendinopathy take to settle?
What is the difference between mid-portion and insertional?
Should I rest completely?
Do I need an MRI instead?
Is a lump on the tendon serious?
Can you assess my ankle ligaments after a sprain?
Do I need a GP referral?
Will you inject the ankle?
When will I get my report?
Other MSK scans we offer
Plantar fascia, Mortons neuroma and forefoot problems.
See the scan →
KneeKnee Ultrasound Scan
Tendons, ligaments, bursae and Baker cysts assessed under load.
See the scan →
All MSKAll MSK Scans
The full range of musculoskeletal ultrasound we offer.
See scans →
Further reading: Achilles pain — tendinopathy or rupture and understanding your MSK report.
Where can you get a ankle ultrasound in London?
Our clinic is at 5a Lucerne Mews, Kensington, London W8 4ED — a quiet mews three minutes on foot from Notting Hill Gate, serving Kensington, Notting Hill, Holland Park, Bayswater and central London.
Short-notice appointments are often available, including for people facing a long wait elsewhere. Call 0203 051 6506 for today’s availability.
Getting here
By tube: Notting Hill Gate — three minutes’ walk.
By bus: Routes along Notting Hill Gate and Kensington Church Street stop nearby.
By car: On-street parking nearby — full options in directions & parking.
The whole tendon, assessed moving
Achilles followed from calf to heel with the ankle flexed and pointed, plus ligaments and surrounding tendons — explained on screen as we scan, report usually within two hours.
Kensington, London W8 4ED
3 mins from Notting Hill Gate
Written and clinically reviewed by the HCPC-registered sonographers who perform this scan at IUS London — a CQC-registered diagnostic ultrasound clinic (Provider ID 1-2775844974). Your own findings are explained to you at the scan and set out in your report.
Author: Yianni Kiromitis, Senior Sonographer, HCPC RA38415 — over 20 years’ experience in NHS and private ultrasound · Reviewed 10 August 2026