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Int J Sports Med 2014; 35(13): 1078-1083
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1372639
Training & Testing
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

The Reliability of 31P-MRS and NIRS Measurements of Spinal Muscle Function

J. Fulford
1   Exeter NIHR Clinical Research Facility, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
,
A. Liepa
2   Sport and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
,
A. R. Barker
2   Sport and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
,
J. Meakin
3   College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
› Author Affiliations
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Publication History



accepted after revision 25 March 2014

Publication Date:
30 June 2014 (online)

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Abstract

While phosphorous magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) provide methods for measuring spinal muscle function non-invasively, their reliability is not established. The aim of this study was assess the reliability (ICC) and error magnitude (CV%) of measurements of muscle phosphocreatine (PCr), tissue oxygenation index (TOI) and muscle deoxyhaemoglobin (HHb) acquired during fatigue and in recovery after 24 s of exercise in the lumbar muscles. 10 healthy participants (19–25 years, 5 male, 5 female) performed exercise that involved holding the upper body unsupported in slight extension until fatigue and then, after 30 min of rest, for repeated bursts of 24 s. ICCs indicated good to excellent reliability of baseline measures (TOI: 0.75) and of amplitude changes during fatigue (PCr: 0.73, TOI: 0.69, HHb: 0.80) and recovery (HHb: 0.96), and poor to fair reliability for time constants describing rates of change during fatigue (PCr: 0.11) and recovery (PCr: 0.31, HHb: 0.47). CV% indicated varying relative measurement error across baseline measures (TOI: 5%), amplitude changes during fatigue (PCr: 7%, TOI: 38%, HHb: 31%) and recovery (HHb: 31%), and in time constants for fatigue (PCr: 39%) and recovery (PCr: 20%, HHb: 37%). The results suggested that reliability would be sufficient for future studies on spinal muscle function, but that measurement error may be too large to evaluate individuals.

Key words

lumbar spine muscles - phosphocreatine - tissue oxygenation index - deoxyhaemoglobin
 

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