Premium
Muscle contraction increases the lower leg structural capacity more in adult than in young rats
Author(s) -
Nordsletten L.,
Ekeland A.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.575
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1600-0838
pISSN - 0905-7188
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0838.1994.tb00417.x
Subject(s) - contraction (grammar) , anatomy , muscle contraction , muscle stiffness , medicine , adult male , stiffness , chemistry , materials science , endocrinology , composite material
The contribution of muscle contraction to the structural capacity of the lower leg has been studied in skeletally immature and mature rats. The right lower legs of both young and adult rats were fractured in 3‐point ventral cantilever bending during electrically induced muscle contraction. The left tibiae were dissected free of all soft tissues and tested as controls. The ultimate bending moment increased 73% in young and 84% in adult rats, compared with the control tibiae. The ultimate energy absorption increased 149% and 302% in the young and adult rats, respectively. Ultimate deflection increased 70% and 140%, whereas bending stiffness decreased 18% and 24% in the young and adult rats, respectively. The results show that the fracture mechanics in vivo are different in the immature and mature skeleton. This finding is discussed in relation to the differences in tibial fracture incidence in young and adult alpine skiers.