Validity of ultrasound imaging for intrinsic foot muscle cross-sectional area measurements demonstrated by strong agreement with MRI.

Purpose: Intrinsic foot muscles maintain foot structural integrity and contribute to functional movement, posture and balance. Thus, assessing intrinsic foot muscle size and strength are important. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been shown to accurately image the individual muscles but is costly and time consuming.

Positional release therapy and therapeutic massage reduce muscle trigger and tender points.

Objective: To determine if positional release therapy (PRT) or therapeutic massage (TM) was more effective in the treatment of trigger and tender points in the upper trapezius muscle.

Background: Trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle are common and can be painful. Trigger points are commonly treated using TM however, PRT is a novel treatment that deserves further investigation.

Leg muscle cross-sectional area measured by ultrasound is highly correlated with MRI.

Background: The leg muscles are important for balance, posture, and movement during static and dynamic activity. Obtaining cross-sectional area measurements (CSA) of the leg muscles helps researchers understand the health and force production capability of individual leg muscles. Therefore, having an easy to use and readily available method to assess leg muscle CSA is needed.

Achilles tendon single bout and season long adaptations during early and late collegiate cross-country season.

Aims: To examine single bout and season long Achilles tendon cross-sectional area (CSA) changes before and after running during the early and late cross-country season.

Design: OBSERVATIONAL: repeated measures design study.

Setting: Controlled laboratory setting.