Reliability of Tensiomyography and Myotonometry in Detecting Mechanical and Contractile Characteristics of the Lumbar Erector Spinae in Healthy Volunteers

Overview

Journal Eur J Appl Physiol

Specialty Physiology

Date 2018 Apr 22

PMID 29679246

Citations 34

Authors

Christine Lohr

Klaus-Michael Braumann

Ruediger Reer

Jan Schroeder

Tobias Schmidt

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: Tensiomyography™ (TMG) and MyotonPRO (MMT) are two non-invasive devices for monitoring muscle contractile and mechanical characteristics. This study aimed to evaluate the test-retest reliability of TMG and MMT parameters for measuring (TMG:) muscle displacement (D), contraction time (T), and velocity (V) and (MMT:) frequency (F), stiffness (S), and decrement (D) of the erector spinae muscles (ES) in healthy adults. A particular focus was set on the establishment of reliability measures for the previously barely evaluated secondary TMG parameter V.

Methods: Twenty-four subjects (13 female and 11 male, mean ± SD, 38.0 ± 12.0 years) were measured using TMG and MMT over 2 consecutive days. Absolute and relative reliability was calculated by standard error of measurement (SEM, SEM%), Minimum detectable change (MDC, MDC%), coefficient of variation (CV%) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC, 3.1) with a 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results: The ICCs for all variables and test-retest intervals ranged from 0.75 to 0.99 indicating a good to excellent relative reliability for both TMG and MMT, demonstrating the lowest values for TMG T and between-day MMT D (ICC < 0.90). Absolute reliability was suitable for all parameters (CV 2-8%) except for D (10-12%). V demonstrated to be the most reliable and repeatable TMG parameter (ICC > 0.95, CV < 8%).

Conclusion: The reliability for TMG V could be established successfully. Its further applicability needs to be confirmed in future studies. MMT was found to be more reliable on repeated testing than the two other TMG parameters D and T.

Citing Articles

Comparative Impact of Kinesio Taping and Post-Isometric Muscle Relaxation on Pain and Myofascial Mechanics in Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Sipko T, Berger-Pasternak B, Paluszak A Med Sci Monit. 2025; 31:e945376.

PMID: 39953714 PMC: 11837403. DOI: 10.12659/MSM.945376.

The interaction of post-activation potentiation and fatigue on skeletal muscle twitch torque and displacement.

Langen G, Warschun F, Ueberschar O, Behringer M Front Physiol. 2025; 15:1527523.

PMID: 39949837 PMC: 11821631. DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1527523.

Do Lumbar Paravertebral Muscle Properties Show Changes in Mothers with Moderate-Severity Low Back Pain Following a Cesarean Birth? A Case-Control Study.

Ali M, Mohammed A, Ragab W, Zakaria H, Alwhaibi R, Ibrahim Z J Clin Med. 2025; 14(3).

PMID: 39941389 PMC: 11818502. DOI: 10.3390/jcm14030719.

Myofascial System and Physical Exercise: A Narrative Review on Stiffening (Part II).

Colonna S, Casacci F Cureus. 2025; 16(12):e76295.

PMID: 39850177 PMC: 11755199. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.76295.

A Comparison of Contractile Properties and Acute Muscle Fatigue Response in Adult Females with Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain.

Lee H, Lee S, Kim C, Jeon K Bioengineering (Basel). 2025; 11(12.

PMID: 39768020 PMC: 11672949. DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering11121202.

References

Koppenhaver S, Kniss J, Lilley D, Oates M, Fernandez-de-Las-Penas C, Maher R . Reliability of ultrasound shear-wave elastography in assessing low back musculature elasticity in asymptomatic individuals. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2018; 39:49-57. DOI: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2018.01.010. View

Raeder C, Wiewelhove T, de Paula Simola R, Kellmann M, Meyer T, Pfeiffer M . Assessment of Fatigue and Recovery in Male and Female Athletes After 6 Days of Intensified Strength Training. J Strength Cond Res. 2016; 30(12):3412-3427. DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001427. View

Koo T, Li M . A Guideline of Selecting and Reporting Intraclass Correlation Coefficients for Reliability Research. J Chiropr Med. 2016; 15(2):155-63. PMC: 4913118. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcm.2016.02.012. View

de Paula Simola R, Harms N, Raeder C, Kellmann M, Meyer T, Pfeiffer M . Assessment of neuromuscular function after different strength training protocols using tensiomyography. J Strength Cond Res. 2014; 29(5):1339-48. DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000768. View

Ditroilo M, Smith I, Fairweather M, Hunter A . Long-term stability of tensiomyography measured under different muscle conditions. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2013; 23(3):558-63. DOI: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2013.01.014. View

Simunic B, Degens H, Rittweger J, Narici M, Mekjavic I, Pisot R . Noninvasive estimation of myosin heavy chain composition in human skeletal muscle. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011; 43(9):1619-25. DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e31821522d0. View

Schilder A, Hoheisel U, Magerl W, Benrath J, Klein T, Treede R . Sensory findings after stimulation of the thoracolumbar fascia with hypertonic saline suggest its contribution to low back pain. Pain. 2013; 155(2):222-231. DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2013.09.025. View

Kim J . An analysis on muscle tone and stiffness during sling exercise on static prone position. J Phys Ther Sci. 2017; 28(12):3440-3443. PMC: 5276778. DOI: 10.1589/jpts.28.3440. View

Ditroilo M, Cully L, Boreham C, De Vito G . Assessment of musculo-articular and muscle stiffness in young and older men. Muscle Nerve. 2012; 46(4):559-65. DOI: 10.1002/mus.23354. View

10.

Goubert D, De Pauw R, Meeus M, Willems T, Cagnie B, Schouppe S . Lumbar muscle structure and function in chronic versus recurrent low back pain: a cross-sectional study. Spine J. 2017; 17(9):1285-1296. DOI: 10.1016/j.spinee.2017.04.025. View

11.

Giesbrecht R, Battie M . A comparison of pressure pain detection thresholds in people with chronic low back pain and volunteers without pain. Phys Ther. 2005; 85(10):1085-92. View

12.

van Dieen J, Selen L, Cholewicki J . Trunk muscle activation in low-back pain patients, an analysis of the literature. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2003; 13(4):333-51. DOI: 10.1016/s1050-6411(03)00041-5. View

13.

Neamtu M, Neamtu O, Marin M, Enescu Bieru D, Rusu L . Prediction of motor disorders in multiple sclerosis using muscle change structure assessment. Rom J Morphol Embryol. 2017; 57(4):1331-1335. View

14.

Dahmane R, Djordjevic S, Smerdu V . Adaptive potential of human biceps femoris muscle demonstrated by histochemical, immunohistochemical and mechanomyographical methods. Med Biol Eng Comput. 2006; 44(11):999-1006. DOI: 10.1007/s11517-006-0114-5. View

15.

Dahmane R, Djordjevic S, Simunic B, Valencic V . Spatial fiber type distribution in normal human muscle Histochemical and tensiomyographical evaluation. J Biomech. 2005; 38(12):2451-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2004.10.020. View

16.

Simunic B . Between-day reliability of a method for non-invasive estimation of muscle composition. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2012; 22(4):527-30. DOI: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2012.04.003. View

17.

Hopkins W . Measures of reliability in sports medicine and science. Sports Med. 2000; 30(1):1-15. DOI: 10.2165/00007256-200030010-00001. View

18.

Raabe M, Chaudhari A . Biomechanical consequences of running with deep core muscle weakness. J Biomech. 2017; 67:98-105. DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2017.11.037. View

19.

Nair K, Masi A, Andonian B, Barry A, Coates B, Dougherty J . Stiffness of resting lumbar myofascia in healthy young subjects quantified using a handheld myotonometer and concurrently with surface electromyography monitoring. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2016; 20(2):388-96. DOI: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2015.12.005. View

20.

Lucas N, Macaskill P, Irwig L, Bogduk N . The development of a quality appraisal tool for studies of diagnostic reliability (QAREL). J Clin Epidemiol. 2010; 63(8):854-61. DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2009.10.002. View