MSK ultrasound muscle measurements in patellofemoral pain

Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is a common source of knee pain. Excessive lateral patellar tracking has been associated clinically with PFP and may be due to dysfunction of the vastus medialis oblique (VMO) relative to the vastus lateralis (VL), as these muscles have an opposing role in patellar tracking. Greater atrophy of VMO relative to VL has been speculated in PFP. 

This study investigated the validity of real-time MSK ultrasound in measuring the thickness of each quadriceps muscle.

MSK ultrasound measurement of the thickness of all superficial quadriceps muscles (VM, VMO, VL, RF), and in the proportional thickness of VM and VMO relative to VL are correlated to MRI measurements of muscle thickness. These ultrasound measurements are also correlated to the CSA of all superficial quadriceps muscles, measured with MRI, except for VMO. These findings suggest real time MSK ultrasound measurements of muscle thickness may be suitable for use in the assessment of quadriceps muscle size in PFP.

> From: Gilles et al., Phys Ther Sport 16 (2015) 45-52. All rights reserved to Elsevier Ltd.. Click here for the Pubmed summary.