Structural and Textural Ultrasound Features of the Gastrocnemius Medialis in Chronic Stroke: Associations with Functional Outcomes and Spasticity

Abstract Background/Objectives: Stroke is a leading cause of disability, and post-stroke spasticity frequently impairs ankle mobility, strength, and gait. The gastrocnemius medialis (GM) is central to these deficits, yet the relationship between its ultrasound characteristics, functional outcomes, a...

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Autores: Pujol-Fuentes, Clara, Cuenca-Zaldívar, Juan Nicolas, Navarro-Pérez, María Dolores, Musselman, Kristin, Álvarez-Salvago, Francisco, Herrero, Pablo, Fernández-Carnero , Samuel
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Jaén
Repositorio:RUJA. Repositorio Institucional de la Producción Científica de la Universidad de Jaén
OAI Identifier:oai:dnet:ruja________::9d0fff0d92d67fc26588dcbfc0fb139c
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10953/7778
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:echotexture
function
gastrocnemius medialis
muscle architecture
spasticity
stroke
ultrasonography
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spelling Structural and Textural Ultrasound Features of the Gastrocnemius Medialis in Chronic Stroke: Associations with Functional Outcomes and SpasticityPujol-Fuentes, ClaraCuenca-Zaldívar, Juan NicolasNavarro-Pérez, María DoloresMusselman, KristinÁlvarez-Salvago, FranciscoHerrero, PabloFernández-Carnero , Samuelechotexturefunctiongastrocnemius medialismuscle architecturespasticitystrokeultrasonography616.831-005:616.74:616-073.43:616.8-009.3Abstract Background/Objectives: Stroke is a leading cause of disability, and post-stroke spasticity frequently impairs ankle mobility, strength, and gait. The gastrocnemius medialis (GM) is central to these deficits, yet the relationship between its ultrasound characteristics, functional outcomes, and spasticity severity remains unclear. This study aimed to compare structural and textural ultrasound features of the GM between individuals with chronic stroke presenting ankle spasticity and healthy controls, and to examine their associations with functional performance and spasticity severity. Methods: This case-control study included 26 individuals with stroke and 26 matched controls. Ultrasound assessments were performed using B-mode imaging to obtain parameters such as muscle thickness, pennation angle, and textural features (first-, second-, and higher-order). Functional measures included mobility (Timed Up and Go), walking speed (10-Meter Walk Test), ankle strength (dynamometry), and range of motion (goniometry). Spasticity was evaluated separately using the Modified Ashworth Scale. Results: No significant differences in GM ultrasound parameters were observed between groups or limbs (p > 0.05). Participants with stroke showed significantly reduced dorsiflexion mobility and lower strength for both plantarflexors and dorsalflexors. Correlations between ultrasound parameters and functional measures were not statistically significant; however, the effect size was consistently small. Spasticity severity did not significantly influence ultrasound findings. Conclusions: GM ultrasound parameters did not distinguish participants with stroke from controls or meaningfully correlate with function or spasticity. Functional impairments may stem primarily from neural mechanisms and compensatory motor strategies rather than muscle alterations detectable by ultrasound. Keywords: echotexture; function; gastrocnemius medialis; muscle architecture; spasticity; stroke; ultrasonography.MDPI AG, GROSSPETERANLAGE 5, CH-4052, BASEL SWITZERLAND202620262025info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/10953/7778reponame:RUJA. Repositorio Institucional de la Producción Científica de la Universidad de Jaéninstname:Universidad de JaénInglésJournal of Clinical MedicineCC0 1.0 Universalhttp://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:dnet:ruja________::9d0fff0d92d67fc26588dcbfc0fb139c2026-06-24T12:41:07Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Structural and Textural Ultrasound Features of the Gastrocnemius Medialis in Chronic Stroke: Associations with Functional Outcomes and Spasticity
title Structural and Textural Ultrasound Features of the Gastrocnemius Medialis in Chronic Stroke: Associations with Functional Outcomes and Spasticity
spellingShingle Structural and Textural Ultrasound Features of the Gastrocnemius Medialis in Chronic Stroke: Associations with Functional Outcomes and Spasticity
Pujol-Fuentes, Clara
echotexture
function
gastrocnemius medialis
muscle architecture
spasticity
stroke
ultrasonography
616.831-005:616.74:616-073.43:616.8-009.3
title_short Structural and Textural Ultrasound Features of the Gastrocnemius Medialis in Chronic Stroke: Associations with Functional Outcomes and Spasticity
title_full Structural and Textural Ultrasound Features of the Gastrocnemius Medialis in Chronic Stroke: Associations with Functional Outcomes and Spasticity
title_fullStr Structural and Textural Ultrasound Features of the Gastrocnemius Medialis in Chronic Stroke: Associations with Functional Outcomes and Spasticity
title_full_unstemmed Structural and Textural Ultrasound Features of the Gastrocnemius Medialis in Chronic Stroke: Associations with Functional Outcomes and Spasticity
title_sort Structural and Textural Ultrasound Features of the Gastrocnemius Medialis in Chronic Stroke: Associations with Functional Outcomes and Spasticity
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Pujol-Fuentes, Clara
Cuenca-Zaldívar, Juan Nicolas
Navarro-Pérez, María Dolores
Musselman, Kristin
Álvarez-Salvago, Francisco
Herrero, Pablo
Fernández-Carnero , Samuel
author Pujol-Fuentes, Clara
author_facet Pujol-Fuentes, Clara
Cuenca-Zaldívar, Juan Nicolas
Navarro-Pérez, María Dolores
Musselman, Kristin
Álvarez-Salvago, Francisco
Herrero, Pablo
Fernández-Carnero , Samuel
author_role author
author2 Cuenca-Zaldívar, Juan Nicolas
Navarro-Pérez, María Dolores
Musselman, Kristin
Álvarez-Salvago, Francisco
Herrero, Pablo
Fernández-Carnero , Samuel
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv echotexture
function
gastrocnemius medialis
muscle architecture
spasticity
stroke
ultrasonography
616.831-005:616.74:616-073.43:616.8-009.3
topic echotexture
function
gastrocnemius medialis
muscle architecture
spasticity
stroke
ultrasonography
616.831-005:616.74:616-073.43:616.8-009.3
description Abstract Background/Objectives: Stroke is a leading cause of disability, and post-stroke spasticity frequently impairs ankle mobility, strength, and gait. The gastrocnemius medialis (GM) is central to these deficits, yet the relationship between its ultrasound characteristics, functional outcomes, and spasticity severity remains unclear. This study aimed to compare structural and textural ultrasound features of the GM between individuals with chronic stroke presenting ankle spasticity and healthy controls, and to examine their associations with functional performance and spasticity severity. Methods: This case-control study included 26 individuals with stroke and 26 matched controls. Ultrasound assessments were performed using B-mode imaging to obtain parameters such as muscle thickness, pennation angle, and textural features (first-, second-, and higher-order). Functional measures included mobility (Timed Up and Go), walking speed (10-Meter Walk Test), ankle strength (dynamometry), and range of motion (goniometry). Spasticity was evaluated separately using the Modified Ashworth Scale. Results: No significant differences in GM ultrasound parameters were observed between groups or limbs (p > 0.05). Participants with stroke showed significantly reduced dorsiflexion mobility and lower strength for both plantarflexors and dorsalflexors. Correlations between ultrasound parameters and functional measures were not statistically significant; however, the effect size was consistently small. Spasticity severity did not significantly influence ultrasound findings. Conclusions: GM ultrasound parameters did not distinguish participants with stroke from controls or meaningfully correlate with function or spasticity. Functional impairments may stem primarily from neural mechanisms and compensatory motor strategies rather than muscle alterations detectable by ultrasound. Keywords: echotexture; function; gastrocnemius medialis; muscle architecture; spasticity; stroke; ultrasonography.
publishDate 2025
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025
2026
2026
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/10953/7778
url https://hdl.handle.net/10953/7778
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Journal of Clinical Medicine
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv CC0 1.0 Universal
http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv CC0 1.0 Universal
http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv MDPI AG, GROSSPETERANLAGE 5, CH-4052, BASEL SWITZERLAND
publisher.none.fl_str_mv MDPI AG, GROSSPETERANLAGE 5, CH-4052, BASEL SWITZERLAND
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:RUJA. Repositorio Institucional de la Producción Científica de la Universidad de Jaén
instname:Universidad de Jaén
instname_str Universidad de Jaén
reponame_str RUJA. Repositorio Institucional de la Producción Científica de la Universidad de Jaén
collection RUJA. Repositorio Institucional de la Producción Científica de la Universidad de Jaén
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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