S M Bunce1, A P Moore, A D Hough. 1. Clinical Research Centre for Health Professions, Aldro Building, 49 Darley Road, Eastbourne BN20 7UR, UK. s.bunce@bton.ac.uk
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to establish a reliable method for measuring transversus abdominis thickness in asymptomatic human subjects in supine lying, standing and walking. DESIGN AND METHODS: This was a single operator reliability study using ultrasound imaging to measure 22 subjects on three separate occasions. A purpose built high-density foam reinforced belt was used to house and position the transducer over the mid-point of the transversus abdominis. Each subject was imaged in supine, standing, and treadmill walking at 3 kph. Intraclass correlation coefficients and standard error of measurement analysis were used to measure the data. RESULTS: The correlation coefficient data analysis resulted in intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.94 (standard error of measurement 0.35) in supine lying, 0.88 (0.66) in standing and 0.88 (0.56) in walking. CONCLUSION: The method described is a reliable tool for measuring changes in thickness of transversus abdominis in supine lying, standing and walking. RELEVANCE: This procedure has the potential to detect dysfunctional changes in abdominal muscle activity for patients with low back pain in a functional setting.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to establish a reliable method for measuring transversus abdominis thickness in asymptomatic human subjects in supine lying, standing and walking. DESIGN AND METHODS: This was a single operator reliability study using ultrasound imaging to measure 22 subjects on three separate occasions. A purpose built high-density foam reinforced belt was used to house and position the transducer over the mid-point of the transversus abdominis. Each subject was imaged in supine, standing, and treadmill walking at 3 kph. Intraclass correlation coefficients and standard error of measurement analysis were used to measure the data. RESULTS: The correlation coefficient data analysis resulted in intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.94 (standard error of measurement 0.35) in supine lying, 0.88 (0.66) in standing and 0.88 (0.56) in walking. CONCLUSION: The method described is a reliable tool for measuring changes in thickness of transversus abdominis in supine lying, standing and walking. RELEVANCE: This procedure has the potential to detect dysfunctional changes in abdominal muscle activity for patients with low back pain in a functional setting.
Authors: Anne F Mannion; Natascha Pulkovski; Deborah Gubler; Mark Gorelick; David O'Riordan; Thanasis Loupas; Peter Schenk; Hans Gerber; Haiko Sprott Journal: Eur Spine J Date: 2008-01-15 Impact factor: 3.134
Authors: Leonardo Oliveira Pena Costa; Chris G Maher; Jane Latimer; Paul W Hodges; Debra Shirley Journal: Eur Spine J Date: 2009-05-05 Impact factor: 3.134