title: A speckle tracking application of ultrasound to evaluate activity of multilayered cervical muscles.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the capacity of the ultrasound-based method of speckle tracking analysis to detect changes in multilayered dorsal neck muscle activity induced by performing a lifting task.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one healthy individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants performed a loaded lifting task in 3 different postural orientations of the neck (neutral, flexed and forward head posture). Ultrasound images were recorded and speckle tracking analysis was used to quantify muscle deformation and deformation rate over 3 equal time-periods during the lifting sequence (rest, mid-lift and end-lift).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant main effects of postural orientation for the deformation measure (p < 0.05) and time for the deformation rate measure (p < 0.05) were observed in all dorsal muscles examined. Significant time by postural interactions for the deformation measure were observed in the trapezius, semispinalis cervicis and multifidus (p < 0.05) and in the semispinalis cervicis (p < 0.05) for the deformation rate measure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Speckle tracking analysis ultrasound measurements can detect differences in multilayered muscle activity of the dorsal neck induced by postural variations during a lifting task. Findings for the deformation and the deformation rate measures suggest that they quantify a different, albeit related, mechanical event during muscle contraction in a functional task such as lifting.
authors.affiliation: , NHMRC CCRE (Spinal Pain, Injury and Health), The University of Queensland, 4072 Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Ross
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van der Werff
authors.forename: Shaun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: O'Leary
authors.forename: Gwendolen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jull
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peolsson
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Trygg
authors.forename: Anneli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peolsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D064131:Back Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D055815:Young Adult