The electrical stimulation and stretching in the treatment of denervated skeletal muscle: implications to the rehabilitation

• Grant number: 07/03160-8
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: April 01, 2008 - September 30, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal researcher: Tania de Fatima Salvini
• Grantee: Tania de Fatima Salvini
• Home Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Sessions of muscular stretching, as well as electrical stimulation, are two basic resources largely used by physical therapy to treat diversely types of peripheric nerve injury which affects skeletal muscle. On the other hand, the literature is polemic when reports the physical rehabilitation of denervated muscle, particularly related to the efficiency of therapeutic resources frequently used to reduce the profound loss of muscle mass. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effects of sessions of electrical stimulation and stretching in the treatment of denervated skeletal muscle, investigating separately the effect of them (sub-project 1 and 2), and also their association (sub-project 3). Recently on literature, it was demonstrated 200 daily muscular contractions applied in rat muscle were sufficient to maintain muscle mass after denervation. However, this study used implanted electrodes (an invasive technique which is not used routinely in humans). In the present study, we propose to investigate a similar electrical stimulation protocol, nevertheless, using surface electrodes (non invasive technique) to treat denervated muscles similarly to those used in humans (sub-project 1: The effect of electrical stimulation in denervated muscle). A similar protocol of denervation will be used to investigate the effect of bouts of muscular stretching, like used in victims of peripheric nerve injury to maintain muscle extensibility and joint range of motion. Finally, it will be investigated the association of either stretching and electrical stimulation applied concomitantly in denervated muscles (sub-project 3: Association between electrical stimulation and stretching in denervated muscle treatment). (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

RUSSO, THIAGO L.; PEVIANI, SABRINA M.; DURIGAN, JOAO L. Q.; GIGO-BENATO, DAVILENE; DELFINO, GABRIEL B.; SALVINI, TANIA F. Stretching and electrical stimulation reduce the accumulation of MyoD, myostatin and atrogin-1 in denervated rat skeletal muscle. JOURNAL OF MUSCLE RESEARCH AND CELL MOTILITY, v. 31, n. 1, p. 45-57, JUL 2010. Web of Science Citations: 25.