Assessment of neck muscle thickness and stiffness in Chinese healthy individuals by ultrasound.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The increasing prevalence of neck pain emphasizes the need for techniques that can analyze neck muscles more objectively than physical examination, yet less invasively and more conveniently than electromyography, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Here, we explored high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) and shear wave elastography (SWE) for measuring neck muscle thickness and stiffness.

Methods

Eight muscles in the right posterior and anterior neck of 100 healthy Chinese individuals were analyzed while the neck was in different positions. HFUS was used to measure muscle thickness, whereas SWE was used to measure stiffness. Measurements were repeated in 20 individuals in order to calculate intra- and inter-observer reliability.

Results

SUBMITTER: Wang R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12514706 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature