Ultrasound Imaging of Head/Neck Muscles and Their Fasciae: An Observational Study.
Carmelo Pirri, Caterina Fede, Chenglei Fan and 4 others
PMID 36188862WHAT IT FOUND
Ultrasound reliably measured head and neck muscle thickness, but fasciae thickness did not change with contraction.
While group averages showed symmetry, individual data revealed significant imbalance in how muscles activated, suggesting compensation strategies that standard tests might miss.
Key findings
01Muscle thickness increased significantly from rest to contraction, but fascia thickness did not change significantly.
02Group-level symmetry was found between sides, but individual subjects showed notable imbalances in muscle activation deltas.
03Ultrasound measurements demonstrated good reliability for fasciae and optimal reliability for muscles.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study included only 16 healthy volunteers, so the results cannot be generalized to patients with pain or dysfunction. The sample size was small, limiting the ability to detect subtle differences or establish normative values for a wider population. The study used B-mode ultrasound only, which may not capture all tissue characteristics compared to other modes like M-mode or elastography. The authors note that individual variations in muscle activation were not statistically significant at the group level, making clinical interpretation of single-case data speculative.
Declared interests
No specific funding sources or commercial conflicts of interest were declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that the lack of statistical difference between the left and right sides means individuals have balanced muscle activation. The study found that while group averages were symmetric, many individual participants showed significant imbalances where muscles compensated for each other, which standard group comparisons might obscure.