English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Free Plan

Complementary therapies, such as acupuncture and massage, had been previously reported to have therapeutic effects on skeletal muscle contusions. However, the recovery mechanisms on skeletal muscles after blunt trauma via the combination of electroacupuncture (EA) and massage therapy remain unclear. In the present study, a rat model of the skeletal muscle fibrosis following blunt trauma to rat skeletal muscle was established, and the potential molecular mechanisms of EA + massage therapy on the skeletal muscle fibrosis were investigated. The results suggested that EA + massage therapy could significantly decrease inflammatory cells infiltration and collagenous fiber content and ameliorate the disarrangement of sarcomeres within myofibrils compared to the model group. Further analysis revealed that EA + massage therapy could reduce the degree of fibrosis and increase the degree of myofibroblast apoptosis by downregulating the mRNA and protein expression of transforming growth factor- (TGF-)  β 1 and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). Furthermore, the fibrosis of injured skeletal muscle was inhibited after treatment through the normalization of balance between matrix metalloproteinase- (MMP-) 1 and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP). These findings suggested that the combination of electroacupuncture and massage therapy could alleviate the fibrotic process by regulating TGF  β 1-CTGF-induced myofibroblast transdifferentiation and MMP-1/TIMP-1 balance for extracellular matrix production.

evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine

The Combination of Electroacupuncture and Massage Therapy Alleviates Myofibroblast Transdifferentiation and Extracellular Matrix Production in Blunt Trauma-Induced Skeletal Muscle Fibrosis