Myotendinous junction displacement in the flexor hallucis

- Reliability of quantitative evaluation using ultrasound images-

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective: We used ultrasound imaging to measure the myotendinous junction displacement associated with the extensor hallucis, and examined its reliability. Methods: We examined the legs of 10 female adults (20 legs) which had no history of external trauma. We measured the displacement of the myotendinous junction under two conditions, namely with the MP joint of the hallux extended at either 0° or 30°. To examine the reliability of the measurements, we used intraclass correlation coefficients and Bland-Altman analysis. Results: Intraclass correlation coefficient was ≥0.8 for both intra-rater reliability (1,1) and inter-rater reliability (2,1). The BlandAltman analysis did not identify any systematic errors. Conclusion: Measurement of myotendinous junction replacement using ultrasound imaging was highly reliable.