Joint inflammation caused by sport

The main symptoms of inflamed joints are pain and swelling. Symptoms can also come from inflamed structures around the joints such as the muscle, soft tissue (bursa) and tendons. Tennis elbow and golfer's elbow are common examples. A damaged joint may have episodes of 'flaring up' — when the joint swells because of excessive fluid being produced by the lining of the joint (known as synovitis). This condition commonly affects the knees, but can also develop in the joints, hips, wrists, shoulders and ankles.

Your consultant will discuss your symptoms with you and they may order an MRI or ultrasound scan to examine your joint and the surrounding soft tissue. The scan will help your consultant confirm the diagnosis and choose the best treatment options for you.

If your joint has been injured through trauma or is very inflamed, in the first instance, your consultant may recommend you rest the joint, pack it with ice and elevate it to reduce swelling. Once you have been assessed by your consultant, you may be sent for diagnostic imaging e.g. an MRI scan. If your joint remains persistently inflamed and swollen, they may suggest an ultrasound-guided steroid injection to aid rehabilitation. Here, anti-inflammatory corticosteroid and local anaesthetic is injected carefully into the joint, guided by ultrasound.