Ultrasound speckle-tracking to measure soft tissue strain and movement in rehabilitation
Validating the Speckle Tracking Methods on Soft Tissue Strain, Displacement, and Roles in Physical Therapy: Ligaments (Sports), Tendons (Dysfunction), and Muscles (Exercise Intervention)
This project will test whether ultrasound speckle-tracking can measure how ligaments, tendons, and hamstrings stretch and move in athletes and patients recovering from injuries.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 80 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 65 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | National Taiwan University Hospital Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Taipei) |
| Trial ID | NCT07485530 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Over three years the team will apply ultrasound speckle-tracking to measure strain and displacement in the medial ulnar collateral ligament of baseball pitchers, the posterior tibial tendon in patients with grade II dysfunction, and hamstring muscles after ACL reconstruction. Measurements will include longitudinal and transverse tissue deformation during controlled loading (for example passive isokinetic elbow valgus loading) and will be compared with shear-wave elastography. Selected participants will also complete targeted 8-week training interventions such as blood flow restriction or Nordic exercise programs to document changes in tissue mechanics. The aim is to validate speckle-tracking metrics as a basis for clinical risk assessment, therapy planning, and tracking rehabilitation outcomes.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates include male baseball pitchers aged 18–35 with >5 years pitching and high weekly pitching counts, adults 20–65 with physician‑recommended grade II posterior tibial tendon dysfunction, and individuals 18–45 who had unilateral ACL semitendinosus autograft reconstruction within the past six years and have returned to prior sports participation.
Not a fit: Patients with full‑thickness UCL tears, those unable to perform the required loading or training protocols, or people with contraindications to blood flow restriction or exercise interventions are unlikely to benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could give clinicians a practical ultrasound tool to identify tissue risk and monitor recovery, improving treatment decisions and rehabilitation tracking.
How similar studies have performed: Some preliminary work using speckle-tracking and shear-wave elastography in musculoskeletal tissues has shown promising results, but comprehensive validation across different tissues and clinical groups is still limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Study 1 * male pitchers aged between 18 and 35 years * more than five years of pitching experience * at least 200 counts of pitching training per week Study 2 * Age between 20 and 65 years * diagnosed with grade II posterior tibial tendon dysfunction and recommended by a physician for surgical intervention Study 3 * The participants were between 18 and 45 years old * had undergone unilateral anterior cruciate ligament semitendinosus tendon autograft reconstruction surgery within the past 6 years * were able to fully participate in the sports and training they had before their injury Exclusion Criteria: Study 1 * diagnosed with partial or full thickness tears of the UCL by arthrographic/ nonarthrographic MR techniques in past medical records * having a positive result in the "moving valgus stress test" screening24 * unable to participate in regular baseball pitching training or absent from the competition during the March 2023 to March 2025 season * found to show suspicious signs, such as hypoechoic foci and calcification, which suggest UCL injury under ultrasound screening4 * with a \<80% compliance rate in the eight-week BFRT Study 2 * The lower extremities have undergone surgical intervention * The lower extremities have a known history of nerve or vascular injury * The ankles and feet have known ligament tears * Fixed deformities of the foot joints * The patient has a known physical condition that would affect the conduct of the experiment Study 3 * Having any orthopedic condition that prevents them from participating in the competition, such as arthritis or knee pain * having a history of hamstring muscle strain in the knee within the past 3 months * having an attendance rate of less than 80% in the subsequent eight weeks of training
Where this trial is running
Taipei
- School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University — Taipei, Taiwan (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Ming-Wei Wang, PhD candidate
- Email: d10428001@ntu.edu.tw
- Phone: +886 932939247
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.