Beyond mid-thigh: Ultrasound assessment of hamstring muscle architecture at multiple muscle lengths in relation to strength

Gulsah Karaca Yilmaz, Ali Cihan Dagli, Omer Batin Gozubuyuk, Nazif Ekin Akalan, Sergen Devran, Meryem Merve Oren Celik and Bulent Bayraktar

PLOS ONE, 2026, vol. 21, issue 10, 1-14

Abstract: Objectives: To investigate the relationship between ultrasound-based muscle architecture parameters and isometric knee flexor muscle strength in healthy individuals, and to evaluate whether distal (25%) and proximal (75%) measurement sites differ in their ability to reflect muscle strength compare to the commonly used mid-thigh (50%) region. Methods: Isometric muscle strength was measured in 20 healthy (22.15 ± 2.41 y; 8 females, 12 males) participants using a hand-held dynamometer. Ultrasound parameters (cross-sectional area, muscle thickness, pennation angle) of the biceps femoris-long head, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus were measured at 25%, 50%, and 75% of thigh length. Associations between strength and ultrasound-based parameters were examined using multiple linear regression analysis. Results: Moderate-to-high correlations (r = 0.615–0.815) were observed between muscle strength and cross-sectional area for all muscles at 50%. The regression model explained 89% of the variance in muscle strength (p

Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0361496

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0361496

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