Developing a Novel, Accessible Method for Estimating Cervical Muscle Volume in Adolescent Athletes

Magnetic resonance imaging is the current "gold standard" for measuring cervical muscle volume, but the associated time and cost may be prohibitive in numerous environments. This study sought to develop a novel and accessible model for estimating cervical muscle volume in adolescent athletes. It was hypothesized that cervical muscle volume could be accurately predicted using a combination of clinically accessible variables. This secondary analysis of clinical trial data utilized 78 sets of biomechanics lab measurements and neck magnetic resonance imaging scans collected in a total of 42 adolescent athletes to develop a multiple linear regression model for predicting total cervical muscle volume. The final regression model was significant ( R2 = 0.7644, F = 78.94, P < 0.001) and successfully predicted total cervical muscle volume using body weight, sex, and neck circumference as model inputs. These variables can be easily obtained using simple measurement tools that are available across most clinical and research environments. This model may be used by medical professionals and researchers to estimate total cervical muscle volume when magnetic resonance imaging measurements are unavailable.