title: Posture-induced changes in peripheral nerve stiffness measured by ultrasound shear-wave elastography.
abstract: Peripheral nerves slide and stretch during limb movements. Changes in nerve stiffness associated with such movements have not been examined in detail but may be important in understanding movement-evoked pain in patients with a variety of different musculoskeletal conditions.
  
  
  
  Shear-wave elastography was used to examine stiffness in the median and tibial nerves of healthy individuals during postures used clinically to stretch these nerves.
  
  
  
  Shear-wave velocity increased when limbs were moved into postures that are thought to increase nerve stiffness (mean increase: median nerve = 208% in arm, 236% in forearm; tibial nerve = 136%). There was a trend toward a negative correlation between age and shear-wave velocity (r = 0.58 for tibial nerve).
  
  
  
  Shear-wave elastography provides a tool for examining nerve biomechanics in healthy individuals and patients. However, limb position, age, and effects of nerve tension on neural architecture should be taken into consideration. Muscle Nerve 55: 213-222, 2017.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Medical Research Building, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9PS, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Greening
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Medical Research Building, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9PS, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dilley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D011312:Pressure / Q000009:adverse effects; D012737:Sex Factors; D013979:Tibial Nerve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: median nerve; nerve stretch; posture; shear-wave elastography; tibial nerve; ultrasound