Cotteret Charles, Almazán-Polo Jaime, González-de-la-Flor Ángel
Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Sports, European University of Madrid, 28670 Villaviciosa de Odón, Spain.
Sensors (Basel). 2025 May 2;25(9):2885. doi: 10.3390/s25092885.
Shear wave elastography (SWE) has been widely used to assess the mechanical properties of peripheral nerves, including the sciatic nerve. However, the relationship between sciatic nerve stiffness and posterior chain flexibility remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to examine differences in sciatic nerve stiffness and shear wave speed (SWS) based on limb dominance and hamstring flexibility, and to explore their association with posterior chain mobility assessed through AKE and ASLR tests in healthy individuals.
An observational study was conducted on 25 healthy, physically active participants (49 lower limbs). Sciatic nerve stiffness was measured using SWE at a standardized location in the posterior thigh. Posterior chain flexibility was assessed using the Active Knee Extension (AKE) and Active Straight Leg Raise (ASLR) tests. Participants were categorized based on hamstring flexibility, and comparisons were made between dominant and non-dominant limbs.
Participants with limited hamstring flexibility exhibited significantly higher AKE and ASLR values ( < 0.001) and showed an increased stiffness and SWS towards greater sciatic nerve ( = 0.05), although correlations between SWE values and flexibility tests were not significant. No significant differences were found between dominant and non-dominant limbs in AKE ( = 0.28), ASLR ( = 0.47), SWE ( = 0.38), or SWS ( = 0.34) values.
Although no significant correlations were found between SWE parameters and flexibility tests, individuals with limited posterior chain mobility exhibited higher sciatic nerve stiffness in healthy participants.
剪切波弹性成像（SWE）已被广泛用于评估包括坐骨神经在内的周围神经的力学特性。然而，坐骨神经僵硬度与后链柔韧性之间的关系仍不清楚。因此，我们旨在研究基于肢体优势和腘绳肌柔韧性的坐骨神经僵硬度和剪切波速度（SWS）的差异，并探讨它们与通过主动膝伸展（AKE）和主动直腿抬高（ASLR）测试评估的健康个体后链活动度的关联。
对25名健康、有体育活动的参与者（49条下肢）进行了一项观察性研究。在大腿后侧的标准化位置使用SWE测量坐骨神经僵硬度。使用主动膝伸展（AKE）和主动直腿抬高（ASLR）测试评估后链柔韧性。参与者根据腘绳肌柔韧性进行分类，并对优势肢体和非优势肢体进行比较。
腘绳肌柔韧性受限的参与者表现出显著更高的AKE和ASLR值（<0.001），并且坐骨神经僵硬度和SWS增加（=0.05），尽管SWE值与柔韧性测试之间的相关性不显著。在AKE（=0.28）、ASLR（=0.47）、SWE（=0.38）或SWS（=0.34）值方面，优势肢体和非优势肢体之间未发现显著差异。
尽管在SWE参数与柔韧性测试之间未发现显著相关性，但在健康参与者中，后链活动度受限的个体表现出更高的坐骨神经僵硬度。
