Application of ultrasound to assess body composition and physiological changes in skeletal muscles

Ultrasound (US) is widely used in medicine; however, the capabilities of this method go far beyond clinical diagnostics. Over the past half century, the West has been actively developing the direction of using ultrasound to assess body composition, muscle changes under physical activity, assess muscle composition by fiber type, and analyze changes in fat and muscle components of body composition over time. Compaction of sizes, technological evolution of the transmitter, new algorithms for recording and processing the reflected signal contributed to the creation of ultra-light, high-power ultrasound scanners with high resolution, which are synchronized with the smartphone of an ultrasound diagnostic specialist. Among specialists in the field of sports and muscle activity, cheaper ultrasound devices are also becoming widespread, which allow measurements in A- and B-modes in healthy people. This review presents modern areas of ultrasound use outside the field of medical diagnostics and the application of this method in sports physiology and anthropology, as well as the limitations of the method and prospects for its development.