earticle

영어

This study was aimed at investigating the reliability of ultrasonography for imaging the thickness of abdominal muscles during abdominal stabilization strategies in the supine and standing positions in young and older adults. Sixty adults, including 30 young and 30 older adults, voluntarily participated in this study. We captured the ultrasonographic image of the anterolateral wall of the trunk during rest, hollowing, and bracing strategies in the supine position at 90 knee flexion (crook-lying) and standing position. The thicknesses of the abdominal muscles, which are the external oblique, internal oblique, and transversus abdominis muscles, were measured. To analyze the reliability of the thickness of the abdominal muscles, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and 95% confidential interval (CI) were calculated. The young adults group showed a high level of reliability in all abdominal muscles during rest, hollowing, and bracing strategies regardless of measuring position. The older adults group showed a high level of reliability in the external and internal oblique muscles during rest, hollowing, and bracing strategies in both the supine and standing positions. However, in the standing position, the older adults group showed a medium level of ICC value in the transversus abdominis during hollowing (ICC: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.49-0.90) and bracing strategies (ICC: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.43-0.88). Our results suggest that ultrasonography is a reliable tool for measuring the thickness of all abdominal muscles of young adults during hollowing and bracing strategies. However, the deep abdominal muscles of the older adults were affected by the measuring position on ultrasonography. Thus, when using ultrasonography during hollowing and bracing strategies, researchers should consider the subject's age and measuring positions.