Inter-tester and Intra-tester Reliability of Ultrasound Imaging Measurements of Abdominal Muscles in Adolescents with and without Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Case-controlled Study
Issue title: Frontiers in Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology – Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology, 11–13 October 2013, Wuhan, China
Affiliations: Department of Physical Therapy, Cheongam College, Sunchen City, Jeollanam-do, Republic of South Korea | Department of Physical Therapy, Yonsei University, Wonju City, Kangwon-do, Republic of South Korea | Choi Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic, Kurae Koon, Jeollanam-do, Republic of South Korea
Note: [] Corresponding Author: Joshua (Sung) H. You, PT, PhD. 1) Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, Yonsei University; Director of Movement Healing Lab, 2) Mailing Address: 1 YonseidaeKil, Wonju City, Kangwon-do, Republic of South Korea 220-710 , 3) Tel: 033-760-2476; FAX: 033-760-2496; E-mail:neurorehab@yonsei.ac.kr
Abstract: The present study established inter-tester and intra-tester reliabilities of ultrasound imaging and diagnostically differentiated muscle imbalances in lateral abdominal muscle sizes between normal adolescents and adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Fifteen adolescents with AIS were age- and gender-matched with 15 normal adolescents. There was no significant difference between bilateral abdominal muscles in normal adolescents, but there was a significant difference between bilateral abdominal muscles in adolescents with AIS (P<0.05). Overall, inter-tester and intra-tester reliabilities in normal and AIS adolescents ranged from 0.801–0.984. This novel study shows that using ultrasound imaging to measure lateral abdominal muscle thickness is: (1) highly reliable between and within the testers; and (2) capable of distinguishing between subjects with and without pathological muscle morphology due to AIS.
