• Sue L McPherson and Todd Watson.
• Department of Physical Therapy, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC 28723, USA.
• PM R. 2012 Jun 1;4(6):402-12; quiz 412.

ObjectiveTo examine the reproducibility of repeat tests of ultrasound imaging (USI) measurement of transversus abdominis (TrA) activation in a single group of asymptomatic adults performing reaching and lifting tasks before and after abdominal drawing-in technique (ADIM) training in the supine position with TrA USI biofeedback.DesignClinical measurement, longitudinal reliability study.SettingUniversity laboratory.ParticipantsFive male (age, 20.6 ± 4.8 years; body mass index, 25.8 ± 4.5) and 8 female (age, 18.3 ± 0.5 years; body mass index, 24.4 ± 3.3) healthy college students.InterventionsNot applicable.Main Outcome MeasuresReliability and precision of minimum, maximum, and percentage of change in TrA thickness measures were examined on recorded cine loop images obtained via USI (B-mode, 7.5 MHz) for 13 asymptomatic adults. Thickness changes of the TrA muscle were measured at rest and during contraction while performing 5 functional, loaded tasks on 3 repeat tests during 3 testing sessions (ie, before ADIM training and 5 minutes and 5 months after ADIM training). The percent thickness change of TrA was calculated as [(thickness(max) - thickness(min))/thickness(min)] × 100. Reproducibility was examined by using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC(2,k)), standard error of measurement (error variance formula), and repeated-measures analysis of variance.ResultsRanges of ICC and standard error of measurement values for 3 repeat tests per testing session were high and precise for single measures of minimum thickness per task (session 1: 0.68-0.93, 0.24-0.37 mm; session 2: 0.62-0.87, 0.28-0.44 mm; session 3: 0.79-0.84, 0.43-0.56 mm) and for composite measures of maximum thickness (session 1: 0.93, 0.25 mm; session 2: 0.94, 0.37 mm; session 3: 0.95, 0.64 mm) and percent change in thickness (session 1: 0.81, 12%; session 2: 0.94, 14%; session 3: 0.94, 15%). Repeated-measures analysis of variance indicated significant effects for subjects, but not repeat tests.ConclusionsThis study produced acceptable reproducibility of USI measures of TrA during loaded functional activities.Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

21 keywords...

hide…