VOLUME 26, P394-400, APRIL 01, 2021
Soheila Abbasi
Mohammad Reza Hadian Rasanani
Published: December 23, 2020
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2020.12.029
Highlights
• The trunk muscle symmetry was found at rest.
• Ultrasound is reliable for measuring abdominal muscle thickness.
• Ultrasound is reliable for measuring lumbar multifidus thickness.
• Vertical alignment of transducer is reliable for measuring the abdominal muscles.
• Contraction ratio is a reliable value for assessing muscles.
Abstract
Objectives
Ultrasound (US) imaging has been suggested to evaluate the morphology and function of trunk muscles; however, little is known about the reliability of the US measures in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). This study aimed to evaluate intrarater reliability of US imaging of the lateral abdominal and lumbar multifidus muscles in individuals with nonspecific CLBP.
Methods
In this cross-sectional study, intrarater within-day and between-day reliability of US measurements of the transversus abdominis, internal oblique, external oblique and lumbar multifidus (at the L3-L4, L4-L5, and L5-S1 levels) muscles were obtained on both sides. The resting and contracted thickness and contraction ratio of each muscle were measured in 21 individuals with nonspecific CLBP.
Results
All US measurements of the lateral abdominal and lumbar multifidus muscles demonstrated good to excellent within-day (Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs: 0.80–0.98) and between-day (ICCs: 0.80–0.97) reliability. The standard error of the measurement (SEMs) and minimal detectable change (MDCs) of the lateral abdominal muscles on both sides ranged 0.5–1.6 mm and 0.4–4.4 mm, respectively. The SEMs and MDCs of the LM muscles on both sides ranged 1.1–2.7 mm and 2.86–7.49 mm, respectively.
Conclusion
The findings indicate that US imaging has good to high intrarater within- and between-day reliability for assessing absolute thickness and contraction ratio of the trunk muscles on both right and left sides in patients with nonspecific CLBP. The vertical alignment of the US transducer is a reliable method for assessing the lateral abdominal muscles.
Keywords