Assessing Muscle Shear Modulus With Shear-Wave Elastography During Neuromuscular Fatigue: A Review

This review explores the use of shear wave elastography (SWE) to assess muscle shear modulus during neuromuscular fatigue. Fatigue generally leads to a decrease in muscle stiffness, as measured by SWE, though responses vary across different muscles and fatigue protocols. Quadriceps muscles consistently show decreased stiffness post-fatigue, while hamstrings, plantar flexors, and trunk muscles exhibit more variable responses. These findings suggest that SWE could be a valuable non-invasive tool for monitoring muscle condition and recovery, with potential applications in optimizing training programs and preventing overuse injuries. However, the variability in findings indicates a need for further research to standardize SWE protocols and clarify the mechanisms underlying changes in muscle stiffness during fatigue. Understanding these mechanisms could enhance the application of SWE in both clinical and sports settings. This review also underscores the importance of accounting for fatigue as a confounding factor in studies of muscle stiffness measurements and highlights future research directions to expand the utility of SWE in assessing neuromuscular function.