2007 Volume 19 Issue 1 Pages 97-101
The purpose of this study was to re-examine the influence of prolonged stretching on joint contractures by using a specific force for joint correction and ROM measurement. Twenty-five 8-week-old female Wistar rats were divided into five groups. One group was used as a control (G1), and the rats in the four experimental groups were immobilized to cause ankle contractures. The first group was immobilized continuously (G2). In the second, third and fourth groups, the casts were removed daily, and the foot was held in dorsiflexion for periods of 30 minutes (G3), 60 minutes (G4), and 120 minutes (G5), respectively. After a week, restriction in ROM in G4 and G5 significantly increased, as compared to G2 and G3, and contraction bands were observed in G4 and G5. These results suggest that aggravation of ROM restriction increased with the amount of stretching, and the cause may be a decrease in muscle circulation.
