Reliability of lower leg muscle thickness measurement along the long axis of the muscle using ultrasound imaging, in a sitting position.
Ryo Miyachi, Yuji Kanazawa, Yoshinari Fujii and 3 others
PMID 35784606WHAT IT FOUND
Ultrasound is a reliable way to measure lower leg muscle thickness in sitting patients, but it does not predict ankle strength.
Use it to track muscle size changes, but pair it with manual testing if you need to assess power.
Key findings
01Ultrasound measurements of the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius were highly consistent when taken by the same or different examiners in a sitting position.
02Ultrasound thickness correlated well with MRI cross-sectional area, confirming it is a valid measure of muscle size.
03Ultrasound thickness did not correlate with actual ankle strength, meaning a thick muscle on ultrasound does not guarantee strong muscle function.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study included only 20 healthy young women, so results may not apply to older adults, males, or patients with pathology. Measurements were taken in a sitting position, which may differ from lying or standing assessments. The study did not test the reliability of finding the measurement spot repeatedly in a clinical setting, only the measurement itself once the spot was marked.
Declared interests
Funded by JSPS KAKENHI grant number JP20K11204. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that a larger muscle thickness on ultrasound means the patient has stronger ankles. The study found no correlation between the ultrasound size measurement and actual strength, so you must test strength separately.