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. 2016 May 19;6(1):167-72.
doi: 10.11138/mltj/2016.6.1.167. eCollection 2016 Jan-Mar.

Ultrasonography for the assessment of the upper trapezius properties in healthy females: a reliability study

Hakimeh Adigozali  1 , Azadeh Shadmehr  2 , Esmail Ebrahimi  3 , Asghar Rezasoltani  4 , Farrokh Naderi  5
Affiliations

Ultrasonography for the assessment of the upper trapezius properties in healthy females: a reliability study

Hakimeh Adigozali et al. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J. .

Abstract

Background: to date, an assessment of morphometric features, muscle stiffness and blood flow in the upper trapezius among healthy females at rest and contraction states has not been conducted. So, in the current research, the intra-rater reliability of ultrasonographic features of upper trapezius in healthy females was examined.

Method: in this study stiffness and thickness of the upper trapezius in rest and contraction states were measured by ultrasonography on 12 healthy female subjects (28.33±5.05 years old). Color Doppler imaging was used to assess muscle circulation in the rest state only. Every step and calculation of measurements was repeated 3 times with the same rater. Therefore, in total 36 measurements were done for each variable.

Results: according to the analysis, the value of intra class correlation coefficient (ICC) for total variables showed an excellent level of reliability. Thickness at contraction had maximum reliability (ICC= 0.993) and Minimum Diastolic Velocity had the lowest reliability (ICC=0.771).

Conclusions: the results of current research demonstrated that real time ultrasonography is a reliable method for measurement of various parameters of upper trapezius, including morphometric features, its stiffness and blood supply in non-symptomatic females. These mentioned variables can likely be used for objective assessment and provide numerical reference value for clinical plans.

Keywords: blood flow; stiffness; ultrasonography; upper trapezius.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Location of ultra-sonogram transducer for imaging of upper trapezius muscle A) in rest position B) in contraction state.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Ultrasonography image for measurement of upper trapezius muscle thickness. A) In resting position; B) in contraction state. Vertical distance between two echogenic fascial layers was marked for measurement of upper trapezius thickness.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Ultrasound elastography of upper trapezius. A circular region of interest (ROI) was adjusted in the (Z1) sub cutaneous space and another ROI was placed in the (Z2) bulk of upper trapezius, then the strain ratio was calculated as Z2/Z1. The ultrasonogram image is superimposed onto the B-mode image, displays a color-coded map of elasticity. The color bar in the left of the screen presents the stiffness of the tissues within the ROI, ranging from green (soft) to red (hard).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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