The doctor will take a medical history and do a physical exam to check pain, tenderness, and loss of motion. They'll also look for other signs in surrounding tissues. At this point, the doctor may be able to tell if the muscle near the joint has signs of of weakness from lack of use.
Tests you may have include:
- X-rays
- Blood tests, mainly to look for rheumatoid arthritis, but also to exclude other diseases
- Removal of synovial fluid, the lubricating fluid in the lining (synovium) of the joint, for analysis
- MRI scans