Inter-tester and Intra-tester Reliability of Ultrasound Imaging Measurements of Abdominal Muscles in Adolescents with and without Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Case-controlled Study

Abstract

The present study established inter-tester and intra-tester reliabilities of ultrasound imaging and diagnostically differentiated muscle imbalances in lateral abdominal muscle sizes between normal adolescents and adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis(AIS). Fifteen adolescents with AIS were age-and gender-matched with 15 normal adolescents. There was no significant difference between bilateral abdominal muscles in normal adolescents, but there was a significant difference between bilateral abdominal muscles in adolescents with AIS (P< 0.05). Overall, inter-tester and intra-tester reliabilities in normal and AIS adolescents ranged from 0.801 -0.984. This novel study shows that using ultrasound imaging to measure lateral abdominal muscle thickness is: (1) highly reliable between and within the testers; and (2) capable of distinguishing between subjects with and without pathological muscle morphology due to AIS.

Muscle Thickness During Core Stability Exercises in Children and Adults

“…A few research studies in young adolescents (Linek et al, 2015(Linek et al, , 2014 reported that TRA thickness at rest displayed ICCs ranging from 0.68 of 0.97, whilst the contraction thickness ratio (CTR), which is defined as muscle thickness during contraction relative to thickness at rest, displayed an ICC ranging from 0.81 to 0.85. Others have reported greater reliability in older adolescents (Kim et al, 2018;Yang et al, 2014). Fewer studies reported on LM thickness in children and adolescents (Linek et al, 2018(Linek et al, , 2014Zapata et al, 2015).…”

Comparison of segmental spinal movement control in adolescents with and without idiopathic scoliosis using modified pressure biofeedback unit

“…Asymmetric muscle thickness in the deep thoracic paraspinal muscles [ 18 ], lumbar multifidus [ 18 , 19 ], obliquus internus and externus [ 20 ], and transverse abdominus [ 21 ], as well as with type I muscle atrophy of the paraspinal muscles [ 36 ] may be associated with our observation that AISG had poor local spinal movement control. Such morphological alterations in muscles (asymmetry and biomechanical disadvantage) may require differential activation of segmental stabilizing muscles on both sides that may impose a greater demand on axial motor control system; therefore, negatively influence the motor performance.…”

“…In addition, electromyography study of the activities of paraspinal muscles revealed that AIS demonstrated asymmetric firing of bilateral paraspinal muscles with higher muscle activities on the convex side than the concave side [ 16 , 17 ]. Furthermore, individuals with AIS demonstrate asymmetric muscle thickness of the deep thoracic paraspinal muscles [ 18 ], lumbar multifidus [ 18 , 19 ], obliquus internus and externus [ 20 ], and transverse abdominus [ 21 ] on the concave and convex sides. These muscles play important roles on the regulating segmental spinal alignment and stability [ 22 – 24 ] to ensure a stable base for force transmission through kinetic chains and efficient functional performance.…”

Reliability of B-Mode Ultrasound Imaging of the Lateral Abdominal Muscles in Healthy Children During the Active Straight Leg Raise Test

“…In the case of children, there are considerably fewer studies concerning the reliability of USI. Studies carried out to date confirm that USI is a reliable tool to evaluate the lateral abdominal muscles in the resting recumbent, sitting and standing positions, during the abdominal drawingin maneuver in the supine position in people between 10-16 years of age (Linek et al, 2014a;Linek et al, 2014c;Yang et al, 2014), as well as during the active straight leg raise (ASLR) test in the case of people between 13-16 years of age (Linek et al, 2014b).…”