ArticleBMC musculoskeletal disorders2026
Reliability of quadriceps and hamstring muscle stiffness measured by ultrasound shear wave elastography in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
Article in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
objectiveThis study aimed to assess the intra- and inter-examiner reliability of shear wave elastography (SWE) in measuring the stiffness of quadriceps and hamstring muscles in individuals diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis (KOA).
methodsThirty-two individuals diagnosed with KOA underwent evaluations of the quadriceps and hamstring muscles. Shear-wave elastography (SWE) quantified shear-wave speed (m/s) in the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, quadriceps tendon, semimembranosus, hamstring tendon, and biceps femoris. Two independent examiners conducted SWE assessments to determine muscle stiffness, with measurements repeated after 6 to 8 days.
resultsIn the initial test session, mean shear-wave speeds ranged from 2.00 to 2.47 m/s for the quadriceps muscle and from 2.06 to 2.60 m/s for the hamstrings across testers 1 and 2. During the retest session, mean shear-wave speeds ranged from 1.98 to 2.48 m/s for the quadriceps and from 2.07 to 2.57 m/s for the hamstrings. The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) indicated good to excellent reliability for both intra-examiner reliability (0.88–0.98) and inter-examiner reliability (0.78–0.93). Additionally, the ICCs and standard errors of measurement (SEM) for inter-examiner reliability varied from 0.78 to 0.93 and 0.04 to 0.14 for hamstring muscle stiffness, and from 0.84 to 0.91 and 0.08 to 0.12 for quadriceps muscle stiffness, respectively.
conclusionShear-wave elastography is a reliable technique for assessing muscle stiffness in the quadriceps and hamstrings of patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis.
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