A comprehensive evaluation of the reliability of ultrasound imaging in assessing axioscapular muscle thickness in individuals with and without neck pain.

Background: With a greater impact of altered axioscapular muscles on musculoskeletal disorders, attention is being focused on the use of ultrasound imaging to assess these muscles. However, ultrasound measurements can be influenced by several factors. This study aimed to evaluate inter- and intra-rater reliability of ultrasound imaging for measuring axioscapular muscle thickness in individuals with and without neck pain.

Investigation of axioscapular muscle thickness in individuals with neck pain with and without scapular dysfunction.

Background: Scapular downward rotation (SDR) is associated with altered axioscapular muscles, including upper trapezius (UT), lower trapezius (LT), serratus anterior (SA), and levator scapulae (LS). SDR is commonly seen in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain (NP). However, the extent of muscle thickness changes in this population remains unclear.