Assessing the Effects of Aging on Muscle Stiffness Using Shear Wave Elastography and Myotonometer

The current study investigated the differences in muscle stiffness between older and young adults at rest and during contraction. We also evaluated the differences in muscle stiffness assessments using a myotonometer (MyotonPRO) and shear wave elastography (SWE). Twenty-two older adults (mean age, 66.6 ± 1.6 years) and 23 young adults (mean age, 66.6 ± 1.6 years) participated in this study. Muscle stiffness of the tibialis anterior (TA) and medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscles at rest and during contraction were measured using SWE and the MyotonPRO. The stiffness increase rate (SIR) was also calculated to determine the absolute stiffness difference. The mean muscle stiffness of the TA and MG muscles was significantly lower in older adults than in young adults at rest and during contraction (p < 0.05). Similarly, the SIR values of the TA and MG were significantly lower in older adults than in young adults (p < 0.05). Our results indicate that both instruments could be used to quantify muscle stiffness changes and serve as a cornerstone for assessing aging-related losses in muscle function. Stiffness measures may help exercise professionals to develop an in-depth understanding of muscle impairment at the tissue level.

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Effect of Rest Duration Between Static Stretching on Passive Stiffness of Medial Gastrocnemius Muscle In Vivo

Journal of Sport Rehabilitation ◽

10.1123/jsr.2018-0376 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (5) ◽

pp. 578-582

Author(s):

Masatoshi Nakamura ◽

Shigeru Sato ◽

Ryosuke Kiyono ◽

Nobushige Takahashi ◽

Tomoichi Yoshida

Keyword(s):

Elastic Modulus ◽

Shear Wave ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Shear Wave Elastography ◽

Muscle Stiffness ◽

Medial Gastrocnemius ◽

Static Stretching ◽

Shear Elastic Modulus ◽

Before And After

Context: In clinical and sports settings, static stretching (SS) is usually performed to increase range of motion (ROM) and decrease passive muscle stiffness. Recently, the shear elastic modulus was measured by ultrasonic shear wave elastography as an index of muscle stiffness. Previous studies reported that the shear elastic modulus measured by ultrasound shear wave elastography decreased after SS, and the effects of SS on shear elastic modulus were likely affected by rest duration between sets of SS. Objective: To investigate the acute effects of SS with different rest durations on ROM and shear elastic modulus of gastrocnemius and to clarify whether the rest duration between sets of SS decreases the shear elastic modulus. Design: A randomized, repeated-measures experimental design. Setting: University laboratory. Participants: Sixteen healthy males volunteered to participate in the study (age 21.3 [0.8] y; height 171.8 [5.1] cm; weight 63.1 [4.5] kg). Main Outcome Measures: Each participant underwent 3 different rest interval durations during SS (ie, long rest duration: 90 s; normal rest duration: 30 s; and short rest duration: 10 s). This SS technique was repeated 10 times, thus lasting a total of 300 seconds with different rest durations in each protocol. The dorsiflexion ROM and shear elastic modulus were measured before and after SS. Results: Our results revealed that dorsiflexion ROM and shear elastic modulus were changed after 300-second SS; however, no effects of the rest duration between sets of SS were observed. Conclusions: In terms of decreasing the shear elastic modulus, clinicians and coaches should not focus on the rest duration when SS intervention is performed.

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Potential of Using Shear Wave Elastography in the Clinical Evaluation and Monitoring of Changes in Masseter Muscle Stiffness

Pain Research and Management ◽

10.1155/2020/4184268 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-5

Author(s):

Cyprian Olchowy ◽

Mieszko Więckiewicz ◽

Luca Maria Sconfienza ◽

Mateusz Łasecki ◽

Piotr Seweryn ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Healthy Volunteers ◽

Shear Wave ◽

Masseter Muscle ◽

Severe Pain ◽

Shear Wave Elastography ◽

Muscle Stiffness ◽

Sensitive Tool ◽

Massage Treatment ◽

The Mean ◽

Evaluation And Monitoring

The study aimed to evaluate masseter muscle stiffness in adult healthy volunteers referred to a massage treatment and also to investigate whether shear-wave elastography can be used to monitor the effect of massage on the masseter muscle. The study included 21 healthy volunteers, who were subjected to a 30-minute massage of the masseter muscle. Muscle stiffness was measured by shear-wave elastography before and directly after the massage. Pain during the massage was assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS). The data of 20 patients (one excluded due to severe pain) with a median age of 34.5 years were analysed. The stiffness values were 11.46 ± 1.55 kPa before and 8.97 ± 0.96 kPa after the massage ( p < 0.0001 ). The mean drop was 2.49 ± 1.09 kPa. The greatest decrease was observed in people with higher elasticity values before the massage (r = 0.79; p < 0.0001 ). The median intensity of pain was 7.2 (range: 6–9.5). We concluded that shear-wave elastography is a sensitive tool to monitor changes in the stiffness of the masseter muscle.

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The Measurement of Stiffness for Major Muscles with Shear Wave Elastography and Myoton: A Quantitative Analysis Study

Diagnostics ◽

10.3390/diagnostics11030524 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 524

Author(s):

Youngjin Lee ◽

Minkyoung Kim ◽

Haneul Lee

Keyword(s):

Shear Wave ◽

Shear Wave Elastography ◽

Rectus Femoris ◽

Biceps Femoris ◽

Voluntary Contraction ◽

Muscle Stiffness ◽

Medial Gastrocnemius ◽

Strong Correlations ◽

Significant Difference ◽

The Relationship

The present study was performed to assess the relationship between hand-held myotonometer MyotonPRO and shear wave elastography (SWE) measurements of lower limb muscle stiffness during resting and active voluntary contraction. Forty healthy young adults, (20 males and 20 females) participated in the study. The stiffness of each subject’s rectus femoris (RF), biceps femoris (BF), tibialis anterior (TA), and medial gastrocnemius (MG) was measured repeatedly by MyotonPRO and SWE. Moderate to strong correlations between the two methods’ measurements were found for both resting and active voluntary contraction. (r = 0.416–0.669, p < 0.05; r = 0.398–0.594, p < 0.05, respectively). Muscle stiffness at rest was significantly lower compared contraction in all four muscles measured by both methods (p < 0.05). Intra-rater reliabilities were generally lower when measurements were taken during contraction. Additionally, when compared by gender, muscle stiffness measured by MyotonPRO was significantly higher at rest in men compared to women, except for the TA. However, a significant difference was found in TA muscle stiffness by gender when measured with SWE. When muscles were contracted, all muscles showed significantly higher stiffness in men compared to women. There were moderate to good correlations in muscle stiffness between measurements of SWE and MyotonPRO at rest and during active voluntary contraction. Additionally, both instruments showed good intra-rater reliability.

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The optimal conditions of therapeutic ultrasound on muscle stiffness of medial gastrocnemius muscle in human: A shear-wave elastography study

Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine ◽

10.1016/j.rehab.2018.05.1104 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 61 ◽

pp. e473

Author(s):

K. Morishita ◽

S. Nishishita ◽

M. Nakamura ◽

J. Saeki ◽

M. Yagi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Shear Wave ◽

Gastrocnemius Muscle ◽

Therapeutic Ultrasound ◽

Shear Wave Elastography ◽

Muscle Stiffness ◽

Medial Gastrocnemius ◽

Optimal Conditions ◽

Medial Gastrocnemius Muscle

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Sequential Changes in Posterior Shoulder Muscle Elasticity After Throwing as Assessed via Ultrasound Shear Wave Elastography

Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1177/23259671211021362 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. 232596712110213

Author(s):

Kohei Yamaura ◽

Yutaka Mifune ◽

Atsuyuki Inui ◽

Hanako Nishimoto ◽

Takeshi Kataoka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Shear Wave ◽

Shear Wave Elastography ◽

Muscle Stiffness ◽

Serratus Anterior ◽

Muscle Elasticity ◽

Time Points ◽

Posterior Shoulder ◽

Study Results ◽

The Mean ◽

Lower Trapezius

Background: Improvements in ultrasound diagnostic equipment and techniques can enable muscle stiffness to be measured quantitatively as muscle elasticity using ultrasound shear wave elastography (USWE), where high muscle elasticity values represent muscle stiffness. Purpose: To use USWE to analyze the sequential changes in muscle elasticity in the posterior shoulder before and after pitching. Study Design: Descriptive laboratory study. Methods: The authors evaluated 14 baseball players who had played in high school or college at an intermediate level. The elasticity of the supraspinatus, infraspinatus (ISP), middle trapezius, lower trapezius (LT), rhomboideus, and serratus anterior muscles of the throwing shoulder was measured using USWE at 3 time points: before, immediately after, and 24 hours after a throwing session of 100 pitches. The authors analyzed the sequential changes in the mean elasticity values of the respective muscles at the 3 time points. Results: The mean elasticity values before, immediately after, and 24 hours after throwing were as follows: supraspinatus: 32.9, 53.4, 43.8 kPa; ISP: 22.7, 44.8, 43.7 kPa; middle trapezius: 45.1, 70.3, 59.9 kPa; LT: 32.8, 45.5, 46.5 kPa; rhomboideus: 29.1, 47.5, 38.8 kPa; and serratus anterior: 19.2, 36.9, 26.5 kPa, respectively. The mean elasticity values for all tested muscles were significantly higher immediately after throwing compared with before throwing ( P ≤ .0086 for all), and elasticity values in the ISP and LT remained significantly higher 24 hours after throwing compared with before throwing ( P ≤ .019 for both). Conclusion: The study results indicated that pitching significantly increased ISP and LT muscle elasticity even after 24 hours.

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Shear wave elastography in optic neuritis: diagnostic accuracy of the optic nerve and adjacent fat tissue values

Journal of Ultrasonography ◽

10.15557/jou.2021.0031 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (86) ◽

pp. e194-e199

Author(s):

Mustafa Devran Aybar ◽

◽

Onder Turna ◽

Keyword(s):

Optic Nerve ◽

Diagnostic Accuracy ◽

Optic Neuritis ◽

Shear Wave ◽

Shear Wave Elastography ◽

Curve Analysis ◽

Fat Tissue ◽

Roc Curve Analysis ◽

Optic Nerves ◽

The Mean

Introduction: In this study, we attempt to determine the diagnostic performance of shear wave elastography of the optic nerve and adjacent fat tissue in patients with optic neuritis. Methods: The study included a patient group consisting of 72 eyes of 36 patients who were diagnosed with unilateral optic neuritis, and an age-matched control group of 36 eyes of 18 healthy subjects. The patient group consisted of 25 multiple sclerosis patients and 11 recurrent isolated optic neuritis patients. The mean shear wave elastography values of the optic nerves and intraorbital fat tissue adjacent optic nerves were recorded using m/s and kPa as units. ROC curve analysis was performed, and the diagnostic accuracy of shear wave elastography values was determined. Results: The mean shear wave elastography values of the optic nerves with neuritis (2.49 ± 0.41 m/s and 17.56 ± 4.42 kPa) were significantly higher than the values of the contralateral normal optic nerves (1.71 ± 0.32 m/s and 9.02 ± 2.34 kPa) (p = 0.006 and p = 0.004, respectively) in the optic neuritis group. The mean shear wave elastography values of intraorbital fat tissue adjacent optic nerves with neuritis (1.87 ± 0.32 m/s and 9.65 ± 1.12 kPa) were significantly higher than the values of the contralateral normal side (1.47 ± 0.27 m/s and 6.78 ± 1.14 kPa) (p = 0.025 and p = 0.022, respectively) in the optic neuritis group. ROC curve analysis showed a high diagnostic accuracy for determining optic neuritis with shear wave elastography values of the optic nerves (AUC 0.955 [95% CI, 0.933–0.978] in m/s and AUC 0.967 [95% CI, 0.940–0.985] in kPa). Conclusions: Shear wave elastography may be an important alternative diagnostic tool in the diagnosis of optic neuritis.

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Evaluation of Inter-System Variability in Liver Stiffness Measurements

Ultraschall in der Medizin - European Journal of Ultrasound ◽

10.1055/s-0043-124184 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 40 (01) ◽

pp. 64-75 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Giovanna Ferraioli ◽

Annalisa De Silvestri ◽

Raffaella Lissandrin ◽

Laura Maiocchi ◽

Carmine Tinelli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Shear Wave ◽

Liver Stiffness ◽

Shear Wave Elastography ◽

Mean Difference ◽

Observer Agreement ◽

Concordance Correlation ◽

Limits Of Agreement ◽

Inter Observer Variability ◽

System Variability ◽

The Mean

Abstract Aim The primary aim of this study was to determine the inter-system variability of liver stiffness measurements (LSMs) in patients with varying degrees of liver stiffness. The secondary aim was to determine the inter-observer variability of measurements. Materials and Methods 21 individuals affected by chronic hepatitis C and 5 healthy individuals were prospectively enrolled. The assessment of LSMs was performed using six ultrasound (US) systems, four of which with point shear wave elastography (p-SWE) and two with 2 D shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) systems. The Fibroscan (Echosens, France) was used as the reference standard. Four observers performed the measurements in pairs (A-B, C-D). The agreement between different observers or methods was calculated using Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient. The Bland-Altman limits of agreement (LOA) were calculated as well. Results There was agreement above 0.80 for all pairs of systems. The mean difference between the values of the systems with 2D-SWE technique was 1.54 kPa, whereas the maximum mean difference between the values of three out of four systems with the pSWE technique was 0.79 kPa. The intra-patient concordance for all systems was 0.89 (95 % CI: 0.83 – 0.94). Inter-observer agreement was 0.96 (95 % CI: 0.94 – 0.98) for the pair of observers A-B and 0.93 (95 % CI: 0.89 – 0.96) for the pair of observers C-D. Conclusion The results of this study show that the agreement between LSMs performed with different US systems is good to excellent and the overall inter-observer agreement in “ideal conditions” is above 0.90 in expert hands.

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