School of Rehabilitation & Occupation Studies, Health & Rehabilitation Research Institute, Department of Podiatry, AUT University, Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
J Foot Ankle Res. 2012 Mar 8;5(1):5. doi: 10.1186/1757-1146-5-5.
The ability of peripheral nerves to stretch and slide is thought to be of paramount importance to maintain ideal neural function. Excursion in peripheral nerves such as the tibial can be measured by analysis of ultrasound images. The aim of this study was to assess the degree of longitudinal tibial nerve excursion as the ankle moved from plantar flexion to dorsiflexion in a standardised weight-bearing position. The reliability of ultrasound imaging to measure tibial nerve excursion was also quantified.
The tibial nerve was imaged over two separate sessions in sixteen asymptomatic participants in a weight-bearing position. Longitudinal nerve excursion was calculated from a three-second video loop captured by ultrasound imaging using frame-by-frame cross-correlation analysis. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to assess the intra-rater reliability. Standard error of the measurement (SEM) and smallest real difference (SRD) were calculated to assess measurement error.
Mean nerve excursion was 2.99 mm SEM ± 0.22 mm. The SRD was 0.84 mm for session 1 and 0.66 mm for session 2. Intra-rater reliability was excellent with an ICC = 0.93.
Assessment of real-time ultrasound images of the tibial nerve via frame-by-frame cross-correlation analysis is a reliable non-invasive technique to assess longitudinal nerve excursion. The relationship between foot posture and nerve excursion can be further investigated.
人们认为，外周神经的拉伸和滑动能力对于维持理想的神经功能至关重要。可以通过分析超声图像来测量胫神经等周围神经的位移。本研究旨在评估在标准承重位置下，踝关节从跖屈到背屈时，胫神经的纵向位移程度。还定量评估了超声成像测量胫神经位移的可靠性。
在两个单独的会话中，在 16 名无症状参与者的承重位置对胫神经进行了成像。使用超声成像捕获的三秒钟视频循环，通过帧到帧互相关分析来计算纵向神经位移。使用 95%置信区间（CI）的组内相关系数（ICC）评估内部测试者的可靠性。测量误差通过计算标准误（SEM）和最小实际差异（SRD）来评估。
平均神经位移为 2.99 毫米 SEM ± 0.22 毫米。第 1 次和第 2 次会议的 SRD 分别为 0.84 毫米和 0.66 毫米。内部测试者的可靠性很高，ICC = 0.93。
通过帧到帧互相关分析实时评估胫神经的超声图像是一种可靠的非侵入性技术，可用于评估纵向神经位移。可以进一步研究足姿势和神经位移之间的关系。
