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Functional assessment of peripheral nerve recovery in the rat: Gait kinematics
Author(s) -
Varejão Artur S.P.,
Cabrita António M.,
Patrício João A.,
BulasCruz José,
Gabriel Ronaldo C.,
MeloPinto Pedro,
Couto Pedro A.,
Meek Marcel F.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
microsurgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.031
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1098-2752
pISSN - 0738-1085
DOI - 10.1002/micr.21803
Subject(s) - kinematics , medicine , peripheral nerve , physical medicine and rehabilitation , peripheral , gait , ankle , regeneration (biology) , gait analysis , biomechanics , peripheral nerve injury , surgery , anatomy , physics , classical mechanics , biology , microbiology and biotechnology
Computerized rat gait analysis has become an invaluable technique of functional evaluation for some peripheral nerve investigators, comparing the normal and the pathological kinematic data. Appropriate selection of the methods to evaluate the functional outcome should be sensitive enough to moderate changes. By combining kinematic data and traditional methods in regeneration studies, it is possible to achieve better documentation of functional changes with the passage of time. A review of the three commonly kinematic parameters used in nerve regeneration studies, such as the calculation of sciatic function index, stance factor, and ankle angle, will provide the reader with detailed information about this accurate and consistent means of evaluating peripheral nerve function after nerve injury and repair. This study aims to review the different methods and potentialities of the rat gait kinematics as a noninvasive evaluation during regeneration, allowing for measurement of the rate of functional recovery in experimental studies. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. MICROSURGERY 21:383–388 2001