Tissue motion pattern of ventral neck muscles investigated by tissue velocity ultrasonography imaging

Abstract

We designed this experimental study to investigate tissue motions and thus infer the recruitment pattern of the ventral neck muscles (sternocleidomastoid (SCM), longus capitis (Lca), and longus colli (Lco)) at the C4-C5 level in healthy volunteers during isometric manual resistance of the head in flexion in a seated position. This exercise is used in the physiotherapeutic treatment of neck pain and is assumed to activate the deep ventral muscles, but the assumption has not been clearly evaluated. Neck flexors of 16 healthy volunteers (mean age 24 years, SD 3.7) were measured using ultrasonography with strain and strain rate (SR) tissue velocity imaging (TVI) during isometric contraction of flexor muscles. TVI involves using Doppler imaging to study tissue dynamics. All three muscles showed a deformation compared to rest. Except for the initial contraction phase, Lco exhibited a lower strain than Lca and SCM but was the only muscle with a significant change in SR between the phases. When the beginning of the contraction phase was analysed, Lco was the first to be deformed among most volunteers, followed by Lca and then SCM. The exercise investigated seems to be useful as a "stabilizing" exercise for Lco. Our suggestion is that in further research, Lco and Lca should be investigated as separate muscles. TVI could be used to study tissue motions and thus serve as an indicator of muscle patterning between the neck flexors, with the possibility of separating Lco and Lca.

Ultrasound Strain Imaging to Assess the Biceps Brachii Muscle in Chronic Poststroke Spasticity

“…In addition, by using the correlation coefficient method to track the speckle pattern between matching kernels in consecutive real‐time B‐mode frames, 1‐dimensional propagation of mechanical waves and transient tissue velocities during muscle movement can be quantified . Longitudinal biceps brachii tissue velocity represents a rapid mechanical lengthening or shortening in longitudinal biceps brachii concentric or eccentric movement.…”

“…The peak velocity may be considered the most valid measure for estimating muscle dynamics because the tissue velocity is a temporal derivative of tissue displacement. A time‐velocity curve (Figure ) displays the magnitude of the longitudinal muscle displacement over time based on the initiation …”

Ultrasound Strain Imaging to Assess the Biceps Brachii Muscle in Chronic Poststroke Spasticity

“…In addition, by using the correlation coefficient method to track the speckle pattern between matching kernels in consecutive real-time B-mode frames, 1-dimensional propagation of mechanical waves and transient tissue velocities during muscle movement can be quantified. 24,25 Longitudinal biceps brachii tissue velocity represents a rapid mechanical lengthening or shortening in longitudinal biceps brachii concentric or eccentric movement. The peak velocity may be considered the most valid measure for estimating muscle dynamics because the tissue velocity is a temporal derivative of tissue displacement.…”

Correlation between ventral neck muscle endurance and cervical progressive ısoinertial lifting capacity

“…In addition to human suffering, it causes a substantial economic burden due to absence from work and the wide use of medical services [4][5][6] . The largest expenses due to neck pain have been identified within individuals having recurrent disabling episodes of it, and developing long term pain and disability, which results in activity restrictions 3,7,8 . Therefore, there is a need for effective preventive interventions to avoid the development of chronic problems, reduced function and high costs 7,9,10 .…”

“…Conversely, the activation of superficial cervical flexor muscles increase 1 . Moreover, neck muscles (especially deep neck muscles) play a significant role in mechanical stabilizing of the cervical spine 2,8 . DNF muscles including m. longus colli, m.longus capitis, m.rectus capitis anterior and m.rectus capitis lateralis settle deep to m. sternocleidomastoid, anterior and anterolateral of cervical spine 1,2 .…”