Intraclass correlation coefficient of trunk muscle thicknesses in different positions measured using ultrasonography.
Yoshiaki Endo, Akihiro Ito, Syota Hotta and 4 others
PMID 33814717WHAT IT FOUND
To get reliable ultrasound measurements of trunk muscles in healthy older men, a single examiner needs to take multiple readings.
Back muscles require only one measurement, but abdominal muscles need three to five depending on whether the patient is lying, sitting, or standing.
Key findings
01Back muscles (multifidus and erector spinae) showed excellent reliability with a single measurement in all positions.
02Abdominal muscles required three or more measurements for excellent reliability when lying or sitting, and five or more when standing.
03The external oblique muscle specifically required five measurements in the standing position to achieve excellent reliability.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study only included healthy elderly males, so these reliability figures may not apply to females, younger adults, or patients with low back pain. It assessed intraexaminer reliability (same person measuring repeatedly), not interexaminer reliability, so it does not tell you if two different therapists would get similar results. Measurements were taken at the end of expiration, which may not reflect muscle thickness during dynamic movement or different breathing phases.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The work was supported by a JSPS KAKENHI grant.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that these reliability standards apply to patients with back pain or to measurements taken by different therapists. The study only tested healthy elderly men and only looked at one examiner measuring repeatedly.