Open AccessConnective tissue response to immobility
Author(s) -
Woo Savio LY,
Matthews John V.,
Akeson Wayne H.,
Amiel David,
Richard Convery F.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
arthritis & rheumatism
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1529-0131
pISSN - 0004-3591
DOI - 10.1002/art.1780180311
Subject(s) - connective tissue , contracture , hyaluronic acid , glycosaminoglycan , knee joint , medicine , muscle contracture , joint contracture , anatomy , pathology , surgery
The biomechanical changes in rabbit knee confracture were measured after 9 weeks of immobilization. These results were correlated with the biochemical composition of periarticular connective knee tissue of the same knees. The loss of total hexosamine correlates significantly with joint stiffness on an animal‐to‐animal basis. Total hexosamine also correlates with the energy required cyclicly to flex and to extend the experimental joints. Of the individual glycosaminoglycan fractions, only hyaluronic acid showed significant correlation with the biomechanical data. The possible mechanism of contracture formation was postulated based on these results.