Morphological and Functional Relationships with Ultrasound Measured Muscle Thickness of the Upper Extremity and Trunk

Overview

Journal Ultrasound

Date 2016 Jul 20

PMID 27433224

Citations 15

Authors

Takashi Abe

Jeremy P Loenneke

Robert S Thiebaud

Mark Loftin

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Unless a subject's muscle is relatively small, a single image from a standard ultrasound can only measure muscle thickness (MT). Thus, it is important to know whether MT is related to morphological and functional characteristics of individual muscles of the extremity and trunk. In this review, we summarize previously published articles in the upper extremity and trunk demonstrating the relationships between ultrasound-measured MT and muscle morphology (cross-sectional area, CSA and muscle volume, MV) and muscular or respiratory function. The linear relationship between MT and muscle CSA or MV has been observed in biceps brachii, triceps brachii, pectoralis major, psoas major, and supraspinatus muscles. Previous studies suggest that MT in the upper arm and trunk may reflect muscle CSA and MV for the individual muscles. Unfortunately, few studies exist regarding the functional relationship with ultrasound MT in the upper extremity and trunk. Future research is needed to investigate these findings further.

Citing Articles

Olarogba O, Lockyer E, Antolinez A, Button D Physiol Rep. 2024; 12(15):e16102.

PMID: 39095333 PMC: 11296885. DOI: 10.14814/phy2.16102.

Muscle Thickness, Echo-Intensity, Peak Force, Time Under Tension, Total Load Lifted, and Perception of Effort Comparisons Between Two Abdominal Crunch Resistance Training Protocols in Recreationally-Trained Participants.

Sullivan K, Ferreira P, Martinez V, Marchetti P Int J Exerc Sci. 2023; 16(6):538-549.

PMID: 37621710 PMC: 10446947. DOI: 10.70252/BCSY3591.

Acute Dose-Response of Duration During the Isometric Forearm Plank Exercise on Muscle Thickness, Echo-Intensity, Peak Force, and Perception of Effort in Recreationally-Trained Participants.

Aleais D, Sullivan K, Ferreira P, Marchetti P, Marchetti P Int J Exerc Sci. 2022; 15(6):676-685.

PMID: 35991937 PMC: 9365105. DOI: 10.70252/RDKT2873.

Exercise Variability Did Not Affect Muscle Thickness and Peak Force for Elbow Flexors After a Resistance Training Session in Recreationally-Trained Subjects.

Smith E, Sepulveda A, Martinez V, Samaniego A, Marchetti P, Marchetti P Int J Exerc Sci. 2022; 14(3):1294-1304.

PMID: 35096238 PMC: 8758154. DOI: 10.70252/XAFX1170.

The Influence of Sonographer Experience on Skeletal Muscle Image Acquisition and Analysis.

Carr J, Gerstner G, Voskuil C, Harden J, Dunnick D, Badillo K J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2021; 6(4).

PMID: 34842750 PMC: 8628927. DOI: 10.3390/jfmk6040091.

References

Dupont A, Sauerbrei E, Fenton P, Shragge P, Loeb G, Richmond F . Real-time sonography to estimate muscle thickness: comparison with MRI and CT. J Clin Ultrasound. 2001; 29(4):230-6. DOI: 10.1002/jcu.1025. View

Fukunaga T, Miyatani M, Tachi M, Kouzaki M, Kawakami Y, Kanehisa H . Muscle volume is a major determinant of joint torque in humans. Acta Physiol Scand. 2001; 172(4):249-55. DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-201x.2001.00867.x. View

Miyatani M, Kanehisa H, Ito M, Kawakami Y, Fukunaga T . The accuracy of volume estimates using ultrasound muscle thickness measurements in different muscle groups. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2003; 91(2-3):264-72. DOI: 10.1007/s00421-003-0974-4. View

Reeves N, Maganaris C, Narici M . Ultrasonographic assessment of human skeletal muscle size. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2003; 91(1):116-8. DOI: 10.1007/s00421-003-0961-9. View

Weir J . Quantifying test-retest reliability using the intraclass correlation coefficient and the SEM. J Strength Cond Res. 2005; 19(1):231-40. DOI: 10.1519/15184.1. View

Teyhen D, Miltenberger C, Deiters H, Del Toro Y, Pulliam J, Childs J . The use of ultrasound imaging of the abdominal drawing-in maneuver in subjects with low back pain. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2005; 35(6):346-55. DOI: 10.2519/jospt.2005.35.6.346. View

Hides J, Wilson S, Stanton W, McMahon S, Keto H, McMahon K . An MRI investigation into the function of the transversus abdominis muscle during "drawing-in" of the abdominal wall. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2006; 31(6):E175-8. DOI: 10.1097/01.brs.0000202740.86338.df. View

Kiesel K, Uhl T, Underwood F, Rodd D, Nitz A . Measurement of lumbar multifidus muscle contraction with rehabilitative ultrasound imaging. Man Ther. 2006; 12(2):161-6. DOI: 10.1016/j.math.2006.06.011. View

Wallwork T, Hides J, Stanton W . Intrarater and interrater reliability of assessment of lumbar multifidus muscle thickness using rehabilitative ultrasound imaging. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2007; 37(10):608-12. DOI: 10.2519/jospt.2007.2418. View

10.

Koppenhaver S, Hebert J, Fritz J, Parent E, Teyhen D, Magel J . Reliability of rehabilitative ultrasound imaging of the transversus abdominis and lumbar multifidus muscles. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2009; 90(1):87-94. DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2008.06.022. View

11.

OSullivan C, Meaney J, Boyle G, Gormley J, Stokes M . The validity of Rehabilitative Ultrasound Imaging for measurement of trapezius muscle thickness. Man Ther. 2009; 14(5):572-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.math.2008.12.005. View

12.

Thoirs K, English C . Ultrasound measures of muscle thickness: intra-examiner reliability and influence of body position. Clin Physiol Funct Imaging. 2009; 29(6):440-6. DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-097X.2009.00897.x. View

13.

Ahtiainen J, Hoffren M, Hulmi J, Pietikainen M, Mero A, Avela J . Panoramic ultrasonography is a valid method to measure changes in skeletal muscle cross-sectional area. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2009; 108(2):273-9. DOI: 10.1007/s00421-009-1211-6. View

14.

Akagi R, Takai Y, Kato E, Wakahara T, Ohta M, Kanehisa H . Development of an equation to predict muscle volume of elbow flexors for men and women with a wide range of age. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2009; 108(4):689-94. DOI: 10.1007/s00421-009-1269-1. View

15.

Yasuda T, Fujita S, Ogasawara R, Sato Y, Abe T . Effects of low-intensity bench press training with restricted arm muscle blood flow on chest muscle hypertrophy: a pilot study. Clin Physiol Funct Imaging. 2010; 30(5):338-343. DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-097X.2010.00949.x. View

16.

Bentman S, OSullivan C, Stokes M . Thickness of the middle trapezius muscle measured by rehabilitative ultrasound imaging: description of the technique and reliability study. Clin Physiol Funct Imaging. 2010; 30(6):426-31. DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-097X.2010.00960.x. View

17.

Ikezoe T, Mori N, Nakamura M, Ichihashi N . Atrophy of the lower limbs in elderly women: is it related to walking ability?. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2010; 111(6):989-95. DOI: 10.1007/s00421-010-1728-8. View

18.

Takai Y, Katsumata Y, Kawakami Y, Kanehisa H, Fukunaga T . Ultrasound method for estimating the cross-sectional area of the psoas major muscle. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011; 43(10):2000-4. DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e31821994cb. View

19.

Whittaker J, Stokes M . Ultrasound imaging and muscle function. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2011; 41(8):572-80. DOI: 10.2519/jospt.2011.3682. View

20.

Scott J, Martin D, Ploutz-Snyder R, Caine T, Matz T, Arzeno N . Reliability and validity of panoramic ultrasound for muscle quantification. Ultrasound Med Biol. 2012; 38(9):1656-61. DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2012.04.018. View