Histochemical fiber type alterations secondary to exercise training of reinnervating adult rat muscle

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of exercise training on reinnervating rat muscle histochemistry. Adult female Wistar rats in 5 groups (1 control and 4 experimental) underwent bilateral sciatic nerve crush. The 4 experimental groups were exercised on a motorized treadmill at 35% grade and a speed of 27m/min once (groups J and L) or twice (groups K and M) daily, 5 days/week from the 2nd (groups J and K), and 3rd (groups L and M), to the 6th week after the crush. The exercise sessions lasted 1 hour. The fiber diameter and percent of type I and II fibers (weak and strong myosin ATPase reaction, pH .94) were evaluated in the soleus and superficial and deep regions of the plantaris muscles. Exercise training did not affect the fiber diameters. There was no change in the fiber type distribution in the soleus and superficial region of the plantaris. However, the percent of type II fibers increased significantly (p less than 0.05) in the deep region of the plantaris groups J, K, L and M bu 12%, 7%, 15% and 10%, respectively. This study indicated that exercise did not interfere with reinnervation and that there was an increase in the proportion of fibers with a strong myosin ATPase reaction in the deep region of the plantaris.