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Peripheral nerves are exposed to mechanical stress during movement. However the in vivo mechanical properties of nerves remain largely unexplored. The primary aim of this study was to characterize the effect of passive dorsiflexion on sciatic nerve shear wave velocity (an index of stiffness) when the knee was in 90° flexion (knee 90°) or extended (knee 180°). The secondary aim was to determine the effect of five repeated dorsiflexions on the nerve shear wave velocity. Nine healthy participants were tested. The repeatability of sciatic nerve shear wave velocity was good for both knee 90° and knee 180° (ICCs ≥ 0.92, CVs ≤ 8.1%). The shear wave velocity of the sciatic nerve significantly increased (p<0.0001) during dorsiflexion when the knee was extended (knee 180°), but no changes were observed when the knee was flexed (90°). The shear wave velocity-angle relationship displayed a hysteresis for knee 180°. Although there was a tendency for the nerve shear wave velocity to decrease throughout the repetition of the five ankle dorsiflexions, the level of significance was not reached (p=0.055). These results demonstrate that the sciatic nerve stiffness can be non-invasively assessed during passive movements. In addition, the results highlight the importance of considering both the knee and the ankle position for clinical and biomechanical assessment of the sciatic nerve. This non-invasive technique offers new perspectives to provide new insights into nerve mechanics in both healthy and clinical populations (e.g., specific peripheral neuropathies).

IntroductionThe mechanical properties of hamstring muscles are usually inferred from global passive torque/angle relationships, in combination with adjoining tissues crossing the joint investigated. Shear modulus measurement provides an estimate of changes in muscle-tendon stiffness and passive tension. This study aimed to assess the passive individual behavior of each hamstring muscle in different stretching positions using shear wave elastography.Methods/ResultsThe muscle shear modulus of each hamstring muscle was measured during a standardized slow passive knee extension (PKE, 80% of maximal range of motion) on eighteen healthy male volunteers. Firstly, we assessed the reliability of the measurements. Results were good for semitendinosus (ST, CV: 8.9%-13.4%), semimembranosus (SM, CV: 10.3%-11.2%) and biceps femoris long-head (BF-lh, CV: 8.6%-13.3%), but not for biceps femoris short-head (BF-sh, CV: 20.3%-44.9%). Secondly, we investigated each reliable muscle in three stretch positions: 70°, 90° and 110° of hip flexion. The results showed different values of shear modulus for the same amount of perceived stretch, with the highest measurements in the high-flexed hip situation. Moreover, individual muscles displayed different values, with values increasing or BF-lh, SM and ST, respectively. The inter-subject variability was 35.3% for ST, 27.4% for SM and 30.2% for BF-lh.ConclusionThis study showed that the hip needs to be high-flexed to efficiently tension the hamstrings, and reports a higher muscle-tendon stress tolerance at 110° of hip angle. In addition muscles have different passive behaviors, and future works will clarify if it can be linked with rate of injury.

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We aimed to determine the importance of neutrophil activation and the source of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by quantification of advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) and total thiol levels as markers of oxidative protein damage, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels as a marker of lipid peroxidation and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity as a marker of neutrophil activation in patients with RA. Fifty-seven rheumatoid arthritis patients were included in the study and sub-grouped according to disease activity (active, n = 31; inactive, n = 26) and compared with healthy controls (n = 25). Serum MPO activity, AOPP, MDA, and thiol levels were measured by an enzymic spectrophotometric method. Serum MPO activity (p < 0.001), AOPP (p < 0.001), MDA (p < 0.001) and levels of thiol (p < 0.002), were higher in the patient group than the controls. Active and inactive RA groups were compared with the control group and there were significant differences between each parameter. MPO activity, AOPP, MDA and thiol levels were significantly higher in both active and inactive RA patients than the controls. On the other hand, when a comparison was made between active and the inactive stage, a statistically significant difference was present only in MDA (p < 0.05) and AOPP levels (p < 0.05). There was also a significant positive correlation between all parameters. These data strongly suggest that neutrophils, which constitute the most important source of chlorinated oxidants due to their high MPO content, may be involved in serum AOPP formation and therefore the production of a novel class of pro-inflammatory mediators of oxidative stress in RA patients and that protein oxidation could play an important role in the pathogenesis of RA as does lipid peroxidation.