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Quantifying changes in material properties of stroke-impaired muscle
Sabrina S M Lee1, Sam Spear2, William Z Rymer3
1Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
Clinical Biomechanics (Bristol, Avon)
|February 2, 2015
Summary
Stroke survivors show increased muscle stiffness and altered muscle composition in their paretic limbs. Shear wave elastography can evaluate these changes in muscle mechanical properties for clinical examination.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Rehabilitation Science
- Neurology
Background:
- Altered muscle properties, specifically stiffness, are common in stroke survivors.
- Previous methods for measuring muscle stiffness were limited.
- Understanding changes in passive muscle stiffness and composition is crucial for stroke rehabilitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify changes in passive muscle stiffness and composition in stroke survivors.
- To investigate the relationship between muscle stiffness, composition, and clinical scores.
Main Methods:
- Utilized shear wave ultrasound elastography to measure shear wave speed.
- Employed B-mode ultrasound imaging to assess echo intensity of the biceps brachii muscle.
- Compared measurements between the paretic and non-paretic limbs of 16 stroke survivors.
Main Results:
- The paretic side exhibited significantly greater shear wave speed (69.5%) and echo intensity (15.5%) compared to the non-paretic side.
- Differences in shear wave speed correlated with echo intensity, time since stroke, and Fugl-Meyer scores.
Conclusions:
- Passive muscle stiffness and composition are altered at rest in stroke-impaired muscles.
- Shear wave elastography is a promising tool for investigating muscle changes post-stroke.
- This technique can aid in evaluating muscle mechanical properties during clinical examinations.
