Reliability of measurement of lumbar multifidus thickness using ultrasonography

Maciej Biały
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Agata Dziewońska
Magdalena Sroka-Buszydlik
Studia doktoranckie na Wydziale Wychowania Fizycznego, Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego im. Jerzego Kukuczki, Katowice, Polska
Studia doktoranckie na Wydziale Wychowania Fizycznego, Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego im. Jerzego Kukuczki, Katowice, Polska
Centrum Leczenia Schorzeń Kręgosłupa i Limfologii, Ustroń, Polska

Abstract

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the reliability of measurement of lumbar multifidus muscle thickness using real-time ultrasonography.

Material and methods: Ten subjects (F = 4) aged 19–26 years were selected for participation. All were students of the University of Physical Education presenting relatively similar, active lifestyle. All met the following inclusion criteria: lack of any current pain in the area of the lumbar spine, pelvis and lower limbs; lack of any previous injuries/ surgeries in these areas of the body in the past. A Mindray DP6600 ultrasound device was used with a linear 75L38EA array. The measurements were carried out three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). Measurements were repeated five times by the two investigators. This allowed for estimation of reliability indices and identification of the measurement error size and its sources.

Results: The results indicate that two repetitions of the muscle thickness measurements are sufficient to obtain fair and excellent reliability defined by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs ranging from 0,81 to 0,99). Five repetitions of change in muscle thickness measurement are necessary to obtain fair reliability (ICCs ranging from 0,82 to 0,86).

Conclusions: To evaluate the reliability of muscle thickness change authors indicate to perform five measurements of mentioned variable, to evaluate muscle thickness reliability alone – two measurement. Such a number of repeated measurements justifies the use of presented methodology in clinical and scientific settings.

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