Detection of exercise load-associated differences in hip muscles by texture analysis.
We examined whether specific physical exercise loading is associated with texture parameters from hip muscles scanned with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Ninety-one female athletes representing five distinct exercise-loading groups (high-impact, odd-impact, low-impact, nonimpact and high-magnitude) and 20 nonathletic female controls underwent MRI of the hip. Texture parameters were computed from the MRI images of four hip muscles (gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, iliopsoas and obturator internus). Differences in muscle texture between the athlete groups and the controls were evaluated using Mann-Whitney U-test. Significant (P < 0.05) textural differences were found between the high-impact (triple and high jumpers) and the control group in gluteus medius, iliopsoas and obturator internus muscles. Texture of the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and obturator internus muscles differed significantly between the odd impact (soccer and squash players) and the control group. Textures of all studied muscles differed significantly between the low impact (endurance runners) and the controls. Only the gluteus medius muscle differed significantly between the nonimpact (swimmers) and the controls. No significant difference in muscle texture was found between the high-magnitude (powerlifters) and the control group. In conclusion, MRI texture analysis provides a quantitative method capable of detecting textural differences in hip muscles that are associated with specific types of long-term exercise loadings.
Department of Electronics and Communications Engineering, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland.
G
G
Nketiah
Department of Electronics and Communications Engineering, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland.|Department of Radiology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
S
S
Savio
Department of Radiology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
P
P
Dastidar
Department of Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.|GeroCenter Foundation for Aging Research and Development, Jyväskylä, Finland.|Jyväskylä Central Hospital, Jyväskylä, Finland.
R
R
Nikander
Department of Electronics and Communications Engineering, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland.
H
H
Eskola
The UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, Tampere, Finland.
H
H
Sievänen
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006615:Hip; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D015865:Racquet Sports; D012420:Running; D013550:Swimming; D014142:Track and Field; D016474:Weight-Bearing; D055815:Young Adult
Skeletal muscles; muscular adaptation; physical loading