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Muscle hypertrophy after partial denervation: a human case.
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
|August 1, 1978
Summary
Physiotherapy for chronic S1 radiculopathy led to calf enlargement in a woman. Muscle biopsy revealed denervation, reinnervation, and fiber hypertrophy, suggesting stretch-induced hypertrophy in denervated fibers.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Muscle Physiology
- Pathology
Background:
- Chronic S1 radiculopathy can lead to calf muscle weakness and atrophy.
- Long-term physiotherapy is a common treatment for radiculopathy.
- Unexplained calf enlargement in patients with neuromuscular disorders requires investigation.
Observation:
- A 41-year-old woman with chronic S1 radiculopathy experienced progressive, painless calf enlargement during physiotherapy.
- Gastrocnemius muscle biopsy showed signs of partial denervation and reinnervation.
- Muscle fibers exhibited both atrophy and significant hypertrophy, particularly type II fibers.
Findings:
- The calf enlargement was associated with compensatory work-induced hypertrophy of type II muscle fibers.
- A novel finding was the potential for stretch-induced hypertrophy in denervated type I muscle fibers.
- This represents a potential in-vivo documentation of stretch-induced hypertrophy in human muscle.
Implications:
- Understanding these adaptive muscle changes can inform physiotherapy strategies for radiculopathy.
- The findings may offer new insights into muscle plasticity and fiber type dynamics.
- Further research is warranted to confirm stretch-induced hypertrophy in human denervated muscle.