Effects of criotherapy and stretching in the sarcomerogenesis of skeletal muscle injured

Camila Borges
Physical Therapy, Evang?lica Faculty of Paran

Jessiane Koch
Physical Therapy, Evangelica Faculty of Paran?

Pricila Cimatti
Physical Therapy, Evangelica Faculty of Paran?

Anna Gomes
Physical Therapy, Federal University of Paran

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     Last modified: May 13, 2007

Abstract
Objective: the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of criotherapy and intermittent stretching in the treatment of the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle injured. Material and Methods: It was used 73 male Wistar rats (342 ? 44g) divided into 8 groups: CONTR (n=3): intact control group; CONT (n=10): left TA was submitted to contusion and evaluated 28 days later; CRIO (n=10): left TA was subjected to criotherapy daily, for 7 days; CONT + CRIO (n:10): left TA was injured and treated with criotherapy daily for 7 days; CONT + SAND (n:10): left TA was injured and treated with sand compression every day for 7 days; STRET (n:10): left TA was manually stretched by maximal ankle plantiflexion in a protocol of 10 bouts of 1min each, 3 times a week for 3 weeks; CONT + STRET (n=10): left TA was injured and stretched 3 times a week for 3 weeks; CONT + CRIO + STRET (n:10): left TA was injured, treated daily with criotherapy for 7 days and stretched 3 times a week for 3 weeks. After the end of each protocol the animals were euthanasied to TA excision. It was analyzed the following variables: body weight, muscle length, serial sarcomere number and sarcomere length. Results: The body weight increased in the groups CONTR (322?6g vs 241?20g, p= 0,02, paired t test), CONT+CRIO (364 ? 30g vs 334 ? 27g, p= 6,15E-05, paired t test) and STRET (385?11g vs 357?19g, p= 0,04, paired t test). The muscle length increased in the groups CONT (18?1mm vs 17?1mm, p=0,02, paired t test); CONT + CRIO (23,21 ? 0,86 mm vs 21,05, p= 0, 03, paired t test); CONT + SAND (21,92 ? 1,51 mm vs 20,6?1,71 mm, p= 0,05, paired t test). In the CONT group was found an augment in the serial sarcomere number (7881?841 vs 7458?862, p= 0,05, paired t test). In the CONT+CRIO+STRET was observed an increase in the serial sarcomere number (5754  432 vs 5055  290, p= 0,008, paired t test) and a decrease in the sarcomere length (3,76  0,20m vs 4,08 0,18m p= 0, 02, paired t test). Conclusions: the muscle contusion induced sarcomerogenesis, maybe caused by the eccentric stimulus. The association of criotherapy and stretching in injured muscles was sufficient to induce the sarcomerogenesis and probably induced an adaptation in the sarcomere length to the muscle develops its maximal tension.
Financial Support: Evang?lica Faculty of Parana.