BACKGROUND:Lip closing functions have never been evaluated from the viewpoint of elastic properties. OBJECTIVES:The purpose of the present study was to investigate the behavior of the lower orbicularis oris muscle during a button-pull exercise to measure lip closing force and quantitatively evaluate its elastic properties using sonographic elastography. METHODS:Appropriate compression loads for elastography were randomly measured on one of three types of acoustic couplers on three examiners. Compression tests were performed on three types of acoustic couplers within the appropriate compression load. Using the acoustic coupler with the lowest elastic modulus, the strain ratio of the lower orbicularis oris muscle during lip closing was measured, and elastography was performed on six males under tension loads of 0–8 N. RESULTS:The intraclass correlation coefficient (1, 3) for the tension load of 0 N was 0.81. Elastography showed that the strain ratio values increased significantly (p < 0.05) as the tension load increased. CONCLUSIONS:Combining the data obtained from lip closing test devices and sonographic elastography enabled the muscle performance to be evaluated objectively and accurately.

中文翻译：

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使用超声弹性成像在唇闭合测量过程中定量评估下口轮匝肌的弹性

背景：从来没有从弹性的角度评估过唇部闭合功能。目的：本研究的目的是调查下口轮匝肌在拉纽扣运动过程中的行为，以测量唇部闭合力并使用超声弹性成像定量评估其弹性特性。方法：在三名检查者的三种声耦合器中的一种上随机测量弹性成像的适当压缩载荷。在适当的压缩负载内对三种类型的声耦合器进行了压缩测试。使用具有最低弹性模量的声耦合器，测量嘴唇闭合过程中下口轮匝肌的应变比，并在 0-8 N 的张力载荷下对 6 名男性进行弹性成像。 结果：0 N 张力载荷的组内相关系数 (1, 3) 为 0.81。弹性成像显示应变比值随着张力载荷的增加而显着增加（p < 0.05）。结论：结合从嘴唇闭合测试设备和超声弹性成像获得的数据，能够客观、准确地评估肌肉性能。