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Updated: Jan 11, 2026
A Rat Tibial Growth Plate Injury Model to Characterize Repair Mechanisms and Evaluate Growth Plate Regeneration Strategies
Published on: July 4, 2017
Effect of Different Intensities of Progressive Physical Exercise on Growth Plate Closure in Young Rats
Márcia R de Andrade1, Alessandro de Oliveira2, Luan A Pereira1
1Department of Medicine (DEMED), Federal University of São João del-Rei, São João del-Rei, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to investigate the morphology of growth plates (GP) in young rats submitted to high and medium-intensity physical exercise.
Methods:
The sample consisted of 24 Wistar rats divided into 3 groups: untrained controls (RC), high-intensity physical exercise (R1), and medium-intensity physical exercise (R2). A weight-adjusted ladder training protocol was adopted (five times a week for 4 weeks). Histomorphometric analysis of the GP of the right tibia was performed in a longitudinal section after staining with hematoxylin-eosin and Gomori's trichrome, in addition to cell counts and GP thickness measurements. One-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-test (α < 0.05) were used to analyze the means.
Results:
The GP presented inferior thickness and chondrocyte counts in the group that underwent high-intensity physical training (355.5 μm and 1157.3) compared to the control (407.6 μm and 1329.7) and medium-intensity groups (312.4 μm and 1328.5).
Conclusion:
High and medium-intensity training promoted a reduction in the GP of young rats compared to the control group. Therefore, ladder training protocols may anticipate GP closure in young rats, thus impairing tibial length in these animals.
