Comparison of Clinical Joint Localization and Ultrasound-Confirmed Joint Positioning

May 8, 2026 updated by: Taner Dandinoğlu, Bursa City Hospital

Evaluation of Differences Between Joint Localizations Determined by Physical Examination and Ultrasound-Confirmed Joint Positions of the Knee, Elbow, Ankle and Wrist

This prospective, cross-sectional observational study aims to evaluate the differences between joint localizations determined by physicians based on physical examination and joint positions confirmed by musculoskeletal ultrasound. Knee, elbow, ankle, and wrist joints will be assessed in volunteer physicians working in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Orthopedics and Traumatology.

For each joint, participants will identify the joint space based on physical examination and the marked locations will be compared with ultrasound-confirmed joint positions. The distance between clinically determined and ultrasound-confirmed locations will be measured in millimeters. The study seeks to provide objective data on the accuracy of clinical joint localization and to support educational approaches in clinical anatomy and musculoskeletal examination training.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This study is designed as a prospective, cross-sectional, observational comparison of clinical joint localization and ultrasound-confirmed joint positioning. The study will be conducted at Bursa City Hospital and will include volunteer physicians working as residents or specialists in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation or Orthopedics and Traumatology.

Participants will be asked to localize the joint space of the knee (tibiofemoral), elbow (humeroulnar), ankle (tibiotalar), and wrist (radiocarpal) based on physical examination in standardized positions. Clinically determined joint locations will be marked on the skin using a removable marker.

Following clinical marking, musculoskeletal ultrasound examinations will be performed by an experienced investigator using a high-frequency linear transducer. Ultrasound-confirmed joint positions will be identified according to standardized scanning protocols. The investigator performing the ultrasound assessment will be blinded to the participant's specialty and level of experience.

The primary outcome measure will be the distance, measured in millimeters, between the clinically marked joint location and the ultrasound-confirmed joint position. Secondary analyses will evaluate differences in localization accuracy among different joints and between physicians with different levels of clinical experience.

The study involves no therapeutic or diagnostic intervention and poses minimal risk to participants. All data will be collected anonymously and analyzed at the group level. The results are expected to contribute to a better understanding of the limitations of physical examination-based joint localization and to inform educational strategies incorporating ultrasound in clinical anatomy training.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

30

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Türkiye
      • Bursa, Türkiye, Turkey (Türkiye), 16600
        • Bursa City Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population consists of adult physician volunteers recruited from a tertiary care hospital. Participants are licensed medical doctors who participate as reference subjects for joint localization. Each participant is asked to indicate the anatomical location of selected joints (knee, elbow, ankle, and wrist), which is subsequently assessed by physical examination and confirmed using ultrasound imaging within the scope of this observational study.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Physicians working as residents or specialists in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation or Orthopedics and Traumatology
  • Age 18 years or older
  • Voluntary participation with written informed consent
  • Ability to perform physical examination-based joint localization

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Refusal to participate or provide written informed consent
  • Any condition preventing completion of physical examination procedures
  • Non-compliance with the study protocol

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Physician Participants
Volunteer physicians working as residents or specialists in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation or Orthopedics and Traumatology who undergo clinical joint localization assessment and ultrasound confirmation.
Other: Observational Assessment
No therapeutic or diagnostic intervention is applied. Participants undergo an observational assessment consisting of physical examination-based joint localization followed by ultrasound confirmation for measurement and comparison purposes only.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Distance Between Clinically Determined and Ultrasound-Confirmed Joint Localization
Time Frame: Day 1
The distance, measured in millimeters, between the joint location identified by physical examination and the joint position confirmed by musculoskeletal ultrasound.
Day 1

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Joint-Specific Differences in Localization Accuracy
Time Frame: Day 1
Comparison of distance differences between clinically determined and ultrasound-confirmed joint localization across different joints (knee, elbow, ankle, and wrist).
Day 1
Effect of Physician Experience on Joint Localization Accuracy
Time Frame: Day 1
Comparison of distance differences between clinically determined and ultrasound-confirmed joint localization according to physician experience level (resident versus specialist).
Day 1

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Bursa City Hospital

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

March 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Actual)

April 1, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

April 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

February 6, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 6, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

February 12, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 12, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 8, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2026-PMR-3

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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