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Updated: Mar 24, 2026
Chronic Constriction of the Sciatic Nerve and Pain Hypersensitivity Testing in Rats
Published on: March 13, 2012
Repeated bouts of fast eccentric contraction produce sciatic nerve damage in rats
Karina Kouzaki1, Masatoshi Kobayashi2, Kei-Ichiro Nakamura3
1Graduate School of Health and Sport Science, Nippon Sport Science University, 7-1-1, Fukasawa, Setagaya, Tokyo, 158-8508, Japan. kouzaki.karina@gmail.com.
Introduction:
We evaluated sciatic nerve impairment after eccentric contractions (ECs) in rat triceps surae.
Methods:
Wistar rats were randomly assigned to different joint angular velocity: 180°/s (FAST), 30°/s (SLOW), or nontreated control (CNT). FAST and SLOW groups were subjected to multiple (1-4) bouts of 20 (5 reps, 4 sets) ECs. Nerve conduction velocity (NCV) and isometric tetanic ankle torque were measured 24 h after each ECs bout. We also assessed nerve morphology.
Results:
After 4 ECs bouts, NCVs and isometric torque in the FAST group were significantly lower than those in the CNT (NCV: 42%, torque: 66%; P < 0.05). After 4 bouts, average nerve diameter was significantly smaller in the FAST group [2.39 ± 0.20 μm vs. 2.69 ± 0.20 μm (CNT) and 2.93 ± 0.24 μm (SLOW); P < 0.05] than that in other two groups.
Conclusions:
Chronic ECs with high angular velocity induce serious nerve damage. Muscle Nerve 54: 936-942, 2016.
