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Size and shape of the posterior neck muscles measured by ultrasound imaging: normal values in males and females of different ages

Size and shape of the posterior neck muscles measured by ultrasound imaging: normal values in males and females of different ages
Size and shape of the posterior neck muscles measured by ultrasound imaging: normal values in males and females of different ages
Measurements of muscle strength or size are valuable indicators of muscle status in health and disease. When force cannot be measured directly, due to a particular muscle being one of a functional group or because of pain, size measurements may be the only option. For such data to be useful, normal values for age and gender are necessary. Procedures for scanning and measuring semispinalis capitis and the deep posterior neck muscles (semispinalis cervicis, multifidus and rotatores) using ultrasound imaging are described and normal data provided on size, shape and symmetry of these muscles from a sample of 99 healthy subjects (46 males aged 2072 years and 53 females aged 1870 years). Significant gender differences were found (P<0.001) but muscle size did not alter significantly with age. Between-side symmetry can be used to assess abnormality of the deep neck muscle group but not semispinalis capitis. A regression equation is provided for predicting the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the deep neck muscles from spinous process length in males. Clinically, linear measurements can be used to predict the neck muscle CSAs (r=0.660.84, P<0.001). The method described for assessing the neck muscles is a potentially valuable tool in clinical practice.
ultrasonography, muscle size, neck muscles
1356-689X
108 - 115
Rankin, G.
57185f9e-3c42-43e7-95b6-228810a20304
Stokes, M.
71730503-70ce-4e67-b7ea-a3e54579717f
Newham, D.J.
38c31812-6424-4807-93ce-ca598537128c
Rankin, G.
57185f9e-3c42-43e7-95b6-228810a20304
Stokes, M.
71730503-70ce-4e67-b7ea-a3e54579717f
Newham, D.J.
38c31812-6424-4807-93ce-ca598537128c

Rankin, G., Stokes, M. and Newham, D.J. (2005) Size and shape of the posterior neck muscles measured by ultrasound imaging: normal values in males and females of different ages. Manual Therapy, 10 (2), 108 - 115. (doi:10.1016/j.math.2004.08.004).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Measurements of muscle strength or size are valuable indicators of muscle status in health and disease. When force cannot be measured directly, due to a particular muscle being one of a functional group or because of pain, size measurements may be the only option. For such data to be useful, normal values for age and gender are necessary. Procedures for scanning and measuring semispinalis capitis and the deep posterior neck muscles (semispinalis cervicis, multifidus and rotatores) using ultrasound imaging are described and normal data provided on size, shape and symmetry of these muscles from a sample of 99 healthy subjects (46 males aged 2072 years and 53 females aged 1870 years). Significant gender differences were found (P<0.001) but muscle size did not alter significantly with age. Between-side symmetry can be used to assess abnormality of the deep neck muscle group but not semispinalis capitis. A regression equation is provided for predicting the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the deep neck muscles from spinous process length in males. Clinically, linear measurements can be used to predict the neck muscle CSAs (r=0.660.84, P<0.001). The method described for assessing the neck muscles is a potentially valuable tool in clinical practice.

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More information

Published date: 2005
Keywords: ultrasonography, muscle size, neck muscles

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 18019
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/18019
ISSN: 1356-689X
PURE UUID: e468a81c-4036-4f28-afcd-4ee93597c3f2
ORCID for M. Stokes: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-4204-0890

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 24 Nov 2005
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 03:30

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Contributors

Author: G. Rankin
Author: M. Stokes ORCID iD
Author: D.J. Newham

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