Department of Physical Therapy, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH, USA.
J Sport Rehabil. 2024 Feb 20;33(3):174-180. doi: 10.1123/jsr.2023-0202. Print 2024 Mar 1.
Imbalances in upper-extremity soft tissue stiffness may play a role in the development of shoulder and elbow musculoskeletal injuries in tennis players. Ultrasound shear wave elastography provides quantifiable and specific data regarding muscle stiffness. The purpose of this study was to compare tendon and muscle stiffness in healthy tennis players to nontennis players.
Cross-sectional study.
The shear wave modulus, measured in kilopascals, was obtained for the dominant pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, and common wrist-extensor tendon using 2-dimensional shear wave elastography ultrasound imaging (GE Logiq S8, L9 linear transducer). Independent t test was run to compare age, body mass index, and the activity index score between both groups. Within-day intrarater reliability was assessed using a within-examiner intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC [3, 1]) with 95% confidence intervals. A multivariate general linear model was run to compare the mean differences between the tennis and nontennis players for each of the soft tissues.
Twenty-six individuals (13 tennis players and 13 nontennis players) were recruited. Within-day ICCs were very good (ICC > .78 for the pectoralis musculature) and excellent (ICC > .94 for the common wrist extensor). Common extensor tendon stiffness was significantly higher in tennis players compared to nontennis players (mean difference = 114.8 [61.8], confidence interval, -22.8 to 252.5 kPa for the dominant arm [P = .039]). Mean pectoralis major and minor stiffness differences were not significant (P > .214).
Common wrist-extensor stiffness in healthy recreational tennis players is higher than those who do not play tennis. Therefore, clinicians may need to facilitate a greater soft tissue stiffness response with resistance training when rehabilitating recreational tennis players as compared to those not playing tennis. Additional normative data on a larger sample of recreational tennis players should be collected.
上肢软组织的不平衡可能在网球运动员的肩肘肌肉骨骼损伤的发展中发挥作用。超声剪切波弹性成像可提供肌肉僵硬的定量和具体数据。本研究的目的是比较健康网球运动员和非网球运动员的肌腱和肌肉僵硬程度。
横断面研究。
使用二维剪切波弹性成像超声成像（GE Logiq S8，L9 线性换能器）测量优势胸大肌、胸小肌和常见腕伸肌腱的剪切波模量（以千帕斯卡为单位）。采用独立 t 检验比较两组间的年龄、体重指数和活动指数评分。采用组内观察者内 ICC（3,1）（95%置信区间）评估日内组内可靠性。使用多变量广义线性模型比较网球和非网球运动员每组软组织的平均差异。
共招募了 26 名参与者（13 名网球运动员和 13 名非网球运动员）。日内 ICC 非常好（胸肌的 ICC >.78，而普通腕伸肌的 ICC >.94）。与非网球运动员相比，网球运动员的普通伸肌腱硬度明显更高（优势臂的平均差异= 114.8 [61.8]，置信区间-22.8 至 252.5 kPa，P=.039）。胸大肌和胸小肌的平均硬度差异无统计学意义（P >.214）。
健康的娱乐性网球运动员的普通腕伸肌腱硬度高于不打网球的人。因此，与不打网球的人相比，在康复娱乐性网球运动员时，临床医生可能需要通过阻力训练来促进更大的软组织硬度反应。应在更大的娱乐性网球运动员样本中收集更多的正常数据。
