查看文章

Introduction Atrophy and muscle shortening due to articular immobilisation are common problems in musculoskeletal rehabilitation. Muscle stretching mechanical stimuli might be considered as the golden standard procedure to improve muscle flexibility in rehabilitation. Muscle stretching generates mechanotransduction, potentiating specific gene expression and promotes sarcomerogenesis and extracellular matrix remodelling on shortened and atrophied muscles. Hypothesis Diacutaneous fibrolysis, like stretching, uses an external force to stress connective and muscle tissues mechanically to treat muscle shortening; thus, it is widely used in clinical practice even if there is no evidence to support it. Considering this subject, we have hypothesised that diacutaneous fibrolysis can generate mechanotransduction, affecting muscle hypertrophy and extracellular matrix remodelling after immobilisation. Evaluation of hypothesis We have designed a laboratory experimental study with a sample of 50 rats. The sample was randomly divided into five groups: Control group (n= 10) with non–immobilised rats; 3–week immobilisation group (n= 10); 3–week immobilisation/3–week non–immobilisation group (n= 10); 3–week immobilisation/3–week stretching group (n= 10); and 3–week immobilisation/3–week diacutaneous fibrolysis group (n= 10). All rats had their left tibiotarsal joint immobilised in maximum plantar flexion with the orthotics for 3 consecutive weeks. After the immobilisation period, the intervention groups received their respective intervention on their left triceps suralis for 3 weeks. Dependent variables of the study were sarcomere analysis …