Muscle Size Assessment
What is my patient/athletes muscle size? Is it appropriate for their health/fitness status?
Important reasons to monitor Muscle Size
- Prevention/reversal of injury related muscle atrophy
- Return of muscle size balance/symmetry to contralateral limbs, post injury
- Assessing the age-related rate of muscle mass loss (Sarcopenia)
- Assessing potential game-related injury risk
1
Select Muscle Size from the menu
For muscle size, scan every 2 to 4 weeks to assess change. Ensure muscles are at rest, and fully recovered from prior sessions.
2
Scan Muscles of Interest
The current muscles that are able to be assessed are Rectus Femoris and Vastus Lateralis muscles. Future muscles are: Biceps Brachii, Lateral Hamstring, and Gastrocnemius/Soleus.
3
Design a treatment/training program guided by the analysis of scan results
Summary statuses provide an overall view of current muscle size, and trends.
Charts will also provide feedback on historical responses to your interventions. What was effective previously? How did their muscle size respond?
It is also valuable to drill-down into a specific muscle group or muscle side to ask some questions about what could be the cause of abnormal results.
4
Schedule a follow-up
Use the scheduling tool as a reminder for the patient/athlete of the prescribed intervention. Send results to them as an additional reminder to return for a follow-up. Confirm the effectiveness of the intervention in not less than 2-3 weeks.
5
Follow-up with another Muscle Size Assessment
Track and monitor the size response of interventions. Modify as needed.
Results Provided
Muscle Size Difference
Current contralateral muscle sizes (mm). Current muscle size difference % and status.
If applicable, Muscle Size historical view.
Status Determination
Statuses are determined from an extensive MuscleSound database of scanned images.
Indicates % size difference is in the very high range--above the top 25th percentile of all scores. Greater potential for increased risk of injury and negative impact on performance.
Indicates % size difference is in the moderately high range--between the top 50th and 25th percentiles of all scores. Some potential for increased risk of injury and negative impact on performance.
Indicates % size difference is in the normal range--below the 50th percentile of all scores. Minimal risk of injury and impact on performance.
When multiple muscle groups are scanned, or if there is a trend to consider the status is determined by this table
Overall % Difference of contralateral muscles |
Trend |
Resulting Status |
> 15% RF muscles |
> 28% VL muscle |
> 22% Both RF and VL muscles |
|
NA |
|
8% to 15% RF muscles |
12% to 28% VL muscles |
10% to 22% Both RF and VL muscles |
|
NA |
|
< 8% RF muscles |
< 12% VL muscles |
< 10% Both RF and VL muscles |
|
NA |
|
|
|
|
> 15% RF muscles |
> 28% VL muscles |
> 22% Both RF and VL muscles |
|
> + 5% |
|
> 15% RF muscles |
> 28% VL muscles |
> 22% Both RF and VL muscles |
|
-5% to +5% |
|
> 15% RF muscles |
> 28% VL muscles |
> 22% Both RF and VL muscles |
|
< -5% |
|
|
|
|
8% to 15% RF muscles |
12% to 28% VL muscles |
10% to 22% Both RF and VL muscles |
|
> + 5% |
|
8% to 15% RF muscles |
12% to 28% VL muscles |
10% to 22% Both RF and VL muscles |
|
-5% to +5% |
|
8% to 15% RF muscles |
12% to 28% VL muscles |
10% to 22% Both RF and VL muscles |
|
< -5% |
|
|
|
|
< 8% RF muscles |
< 12% VL muscles |
< 10% Both RF and VL muscles |
|
> + 5% |
|
< 8% RF muscles |
< 12% VL muscles |
< 10% Both RF and VL muscles |
|
-5% to +5% |
|
< 8% RF muscles |
< 12% VL muscles |
< 10% Both RF and VL muscles |
|
< -5% |
|
Assessing Muscle Size with MuscleSound