title: Progressive surgical dissection for tendon transposition affects length-force characteristics of rat flexor carpi ulnaris muscle.
abstract: Extramuscular connective tissue and muscular fascia have been suggested to form a myo-fascial pathway for transmission of forces over a joint that is additional to the generally accepted myo-tendinous pathway. The consequences of myo-fascial force transmission for the outcome of conventional muscle tendon transfer surgery has not been studied as yet. To test the hypothesis that surgical dissection of a muscle will affect its length-force characteristics, a study was undertaken in adult male Wistar rats. During progressive dissection of the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle, isometric length-force characteristics were measured using maximal electrical stimulation of the ulnar nerve. After fasciotomy, muscle active force decreased by approximately 20%. Further dissection resulted in additional decline of muscle active force by another 40% at maximal dissection. The muscle length at which the muscle produced maximum active force increased by approximately 0.7 mm (i.e. 14% of the measured length range) after dissection. It is concluded that, in rats, the fascia surrounding the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle is a major determinant of muscle length-force characteristics.
authors.forename: Mark J C
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Smeulders
authors.forename: Michiel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kreulen
authors.forename: J Joris
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hage
authors.forename: Guus C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Baan
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Huijing
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004210:Dissection; D000071938:Fasciotomy; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013710:Tendons / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery*