HOME HELP CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:
Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Strickler, T. Articles by Garrett, W. E. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Strickler, T. Articles by Garrett, W. E.

The effects of passive warming on muscle injury

School of Health Sciences, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan

Terry Malone, EdD, PT, ATC

Department of Surgery, Orthopaedic Research Laboratories, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, Department of Surgery, Orthopaedic Research Laboratories, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina

William E. Garrett, MD, PhD

Department of Surgery, Orthopaedic Research Laboratories, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, Department of Surgery, Orthopaedic Research Laboratories, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina

This study investigated the effects of passive warming on the biomechanical properties of the musculotendi nous unit. Paired tibialis anterior (TA) and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles in the rabbit hindlimb were passively heated to different temperatures and then subjected to controlled strain injury. The parame ters examined were: 1) percent increase in length to failure, 2) force to failure, 3) energy absorbed by the musculotendinous unit to failure, and 4) site of failure.

Warmed (39°C ± 0.5°C) TA (P 0.01) and EDL (P 0.05) muscles achieved a greater increase in length from rest before failing than did their contralateral con trols at 35°C ± 0.5°C. In both the TA and EDL the force at failure was greater at 35°C than at 39°C, although the difference was significant for only the EDL (P 0.05). The energy absorbed (area beneath the length-tension curve) by both the TA and EDL was greater at 39°C, but these differences were not signif icant. All muscles failed at the distal musculotendinous junction. These data suggest that passive warming increases the extensibility of the musculotendinous unit and may thereby reduce its susceptibility to strain in jury.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. Kubo, H. Kanehisa, Y. Kawakami, and T. Fukunaga Influences of repetitive muscle contractions with different modes on tendon elasticity in vivo J Appl Physiol, July 1, 2001; 91(1): 277 - 282. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. W. Orchard Intrinsic and Extrinsic Risk Factors for Muscle Strains in Australian Football Am. J. Sports Med., May 1, 2001; 29(3): 300 - 303. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. P. Magnusson, P. Aagaard, B. Larsson, and M. Kjaer Passive energy absorption by human muscle-tendon unit is unaffected by increase in intramuscular temperature J Appl Physiol, April 1, 2000; 88(4): 1215 - 1220. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. P. Magnusson, E. B. Simonsen, P. Aagaard, and M. Kjaer Biomechanical Responses to Repeated Stretches in Human Hamstring Muscle In Vivo Am. J. Sports Med., September 1, 1996; 24(5): 622 - 628. [Abstract] [PDF]

				P. I. Sallay, R. L. Friedman, P. G. Coogan, and W. E. Garrett Hamstring Muscle Injuries Among Water Skiers: Functional Outcome and Prevention Am. J. Sports Med., March 1, 1996; 24(2): 130 - 136. [Abstract] [PDF]

				T. J. Noonan, T. M. Best, A. V. Seaber, and W. E. Garrett JR Thermal effects on skeletal muscle tensile behavior Am. J. Sports Med., July 1, 1993; 21(4): 517 - 522. [Abstract] [PDF]