The objective of this study was to evaluate the reliability of four methods of assessing vastus lateralis (VL) stiffness, and to describe the influence of structural characteristics on them. The stiffness of the dominant lower-limb’s VL was evaluated in 53 healthy participants (28.4 ± 9.1 years) with shear wave elastography (SWE), strain elastography (SE), myotonometry and tensiomyography (TMG). The SWE, SE and myotonometry were performed at 50%, and TMG was assessed at 30%, of the length from the upper pole of the patella to the greater trochanter. The thickness of the VL, adipose tissue and superficial connective tissue was also measured with ultrasound. Three repeated measurements were acquired to assess reliability, using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated to determine the relationships between methodologic assessments and between structural characteristics and stiffness assessments of the VL. Myotonometry (ICC = 0.93; 95%-CI = 0.89,0.96) and TMG (ICC = 0.89; 95%-CI = 0.82,0.94) showed excellent inter-day reliability whereas with SWE (ICC = 0.62; 95%-CI = 0.41,0.77) and SE (ICC = 0.71; 95%-CI = 0.57,0.81) reliability was moderate. Significant correlations were found between myotonometry and VL thickness (r = 0.361; p = 0.008), adipose tissue thickness (r = −0.459; p = 0.001) and superficial connective tissue thickness (r = 0.340; p = 0.013). Myotonometry and TMG showed the best reliability values, although myotonometry stiffness values were influenced by the structural variables of the supra-adjacent tissue.

中文翻译：

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可靠性研究

这项研究的目的是评估四种评估股外侧肌（VL）刚度的方法的可靠性，并描述结构特征对其的影响。通过剪切波弹性成像（SWE），应变弹性成像（SE），肌张力测定和张力描记法（TMG）在53位健康参与者（28.4±9.1岁）中评估了下肢优势VL的刚度。从WE骨上极到大转子的长度为SWE，SE和肌张力测定法为50％，TMG为30％。VL，脂肪组织和浅表结缔组织的厚度也用超声测量。使用类内相关系数（ICC）进行了三次重复测量，以评估可靠性。计算皮尔逊相关系数以确定方法学评估之间，VL的结构特征与刚度评估之间的关系。肌张力计（ICC = 0.93; 95％-CI = 0.89,0.96）和TMG（ICC = 0.89; 95％-CI = 0.82,0.94）显示出极好的日间可靠性，而SWE（ICC = 0.62; 95％-CI = 0.41,0.77）和SE（ICC = 0.71; 95％-CI = 0.57,0.81）的可靠性中等。在肌张力计和VL厚度之间发现了显着的相关性（r = 0.361; 81）可靠性中等。在肌张力计和VL厚度之间发现了显着的相关性（r = 0.361; 81）可靠性中等。在肌张力计和VL厚度之间发现显着相关性（r = 0.361;p = 0.008），脂肪组织厚度（r = -0.459；p = 0.001）和浅表结缔组织厚度（r = 0.340；p = 0.013）。肌张力测定法和TMG显示出最佳的可靠性值，尽管肌张力测定法的硬度值受上相邻组织的结构变量影响。