Stiffness of individual quadriceps muscle assessed using ultrasound shear wave elastography during passive stretching

摘要

BackgroundUntil recently it has not been possible to isolate the mechanical behavior of individual muscles during passive stretching. Muscle shear modulus (an index of muscle stiffness) measured using ultrasound shear wave elastography can be used to estimate changes in stiffness of an individual muscle. The aims of the present study were (1) to determine the shear modulus–knee angle relationship and the slack angle of the vastus medialis oblique (VMO), rectus femoris (RF), and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles; (2) to determine whether this differs between the muscles.