Tissue Deformation Index as a Reliable Measure of Lateral Abdominal Muscle Activation on M-Mode Sonography.
The aim of this article is to present a novel method of evaluating the activity of lateral abdominal muscles using M-mode sonography. The method leads to calculation of the tissue deformation index, representing the percent change in lateral abdominal muscle thickness over time. The objectives of this study were as follows: (1) to establish the mean tissue deformation index values for individual lateral abdominal muscles; and (2) to establish the reliability of the tissue deformation index. In a group of 34 healthy young volunteers (mean age, 24.03 years; body mass, 68.89 kg; body height, 174.25 cm), the reflex response of the lateral abdominal muscles to postural perturbation in the form of rapid arm abduction was recorded in 2 series, with 6 repetitions each, and the tissue deformation index was calculated. The mean tissue deformation index values formed a gradient, increasing from deep to superficial lateral abdominal muscles: 0.06%/ms for transversus abdominis, 0.11%/ms for oblique internal, and 0.16 for oblique external muscles. The tissue deformation index values differed significantly among individual lateral abdominal muscles (all paired comparisons, P < .001). Three repeated measurements are sufficient to achieve good intra-rater reliability of the tissue deformation index (intraclass correlation coefficient, > 0.8).
Faculty of Physiotherapy, Motion Analysis Laboratory, Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland.
Maciej
M
Biały
Institute of Psychology, Pain Research Group, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland.
Wacław
W
Adamczyk
Faculty of Physiotherapy, Motion Analysis Laboratory, Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland.
Rafael
R
Gnat
Rozwój Katowice Sport Club, Katowice, Poland.
Tomasz
T
Stranc
D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D055119:Elastic Modulus / Q000502:physiology*; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006245:Hardness Tests / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
abdominal muscles; musculoskeletal ultrasound; reliability; sonography