Femoral nerve excursion with knee and neck movements in supine, sitting and side-lying slump: An in vivo study using ultrasound imaging

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
File version

Accepted Manuscript (AM)

Author(s)
Sierra-Silvestre, Eva
Bosello, Francesca
Fernandez-Carnero, Josue
Hoozemans, Marco JM
Coppieters, Michel W
Griffith University Author(s)
Primary Supervisor
Other Supervisors
Editor(s)
Date
2018
Size
File type(s)
Location
Abstract

Background:

Neurodynamic assessment and management are advocated for femoral nerve pathology. Contrary to neurodynamic techniques for other nerves, there is limited research that quantifies femoral nerve biomechanics. Objectives:

To quantify longitudinal and transverse excursion of the femoral nerve during knee and neck movements. Design:

Single-group, experimental study, with within-participant comparisons. Methods;

High-resolution ultrasound recordings of the femoral nerve were made in the proximal thigh/groin region in 30 asymptomatic participants. Scans were made during knee flexion in supine and a semi-seated position, and during neck flexion in side-lying slump (Slump FEMORAL). Healthy participants were assessed to reveal normal nerve biomechanics, not influenced by pathology. Data were analysed with one-sample and paired t-tests. Reliability was assessed with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Results;

Longitudinal and transverse excursion measurements were reliable (ICC≥0.87). With knee flexion, longitudinal femoral nerve excursion was significant and larger in supine than in sitting (supine (mean (SD)): 3.6 (2.0) mm; p < 0.001; sitting: 1.1 (1.6) mm; p = 0.001; comparison: p = 0.001). There was also excursion in a medial direction (supine: 1.4 (0.3) mm; p < 0.001; sitting: 0.7 (0.6) mm; p < 0.001) and anterior direction (supine: 0.2 (0.2) mm; p < 0.001; sitting: 0.1 (0.2) mm; p = 0.06). Neck flexion in Slump FEMORAL did not result in longitudinal (0.0 (0.3) mm; p = 0.55) or anteroposterior (0.0 (0.1) mm; p = 0.10) excursion, but resulted in medial excursion (1.1 (0.5) mm; p < 0.001). Conclusion:

Although the femoral nerve terminates proximal to the knee, femoral nerve excursion in the proximal thigh occurred with knee flexion; Neck flexion in Slump FEMORAL resulted in medial excursion.

Journal Title

Musculoskeletal Science and Practice

Conference Title
Book Title
Edition
Volume

37

Issue
Thesis Type
Degree Program
School
Publisher link
Patent number
Funder(s)
Grant identifier(s)
Rights Statement
Rights Statement

© 2018 Musculoskeletal Science and Practice. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) which permits unrestricted, non-commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, providing that the work is properly cited.

Item Access Status
Note
Access the data
Related item(s)
Subject

Clinical sciences not elsewhere classified

Persistent link to this record
Citation
Collections