An alternative video footprint analysis to assess functional loss following injury to the rat sciatic nerve

The rat sciatic nerve is a well-established animal model for the study of recovery from peripheral nerve injuries. Footprint analysis is the most widely used non-invasive method of measuring functional recovery after injury in this model. We describe a new, alternative video analysis of standing (or static footprint video analysis) to assess functional loss following injury to the rat sciatic nerve, while the animal is standing or at periodic rest on a flat transparent surface. We found that this alternative video analysis is technically easier to perform than the corresponding footprint video analysis while walking, but still preserves all advantages of video versus conventional ink track method: i.e. few non-measurable footprints, better repeatability, high accuracy and more precise quantification of the degree of functional loss after sciatic nerve injury in the rat.