title: Swimming training and functional assessment of sciatic nociception in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The protective effect of exercise on individuals with peripheral neuropathy is controversial.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the influence of physical training of moderate and progressive intensity on nociception of rats in an experimental sciatica model.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study assessed 18 rats divided into the following three groups: control group (CG); low-intensity swimming group (LISG); progressive-time swimming group (PTSG). To meet the physical training protocol, the animals were placed in a water tank for six weeks, three alternate days per week. In LISG group, the animals swam ten minutes per session, and, in PTSG group, the animals began swimming for ten minutes, and had a ten-minute increase per week. In CG group, the animals swam less than one minute per day, only to get used to the water environment. After finishing the swimming training, the experimental sciatica model protocol was started with constrictive ligature of the sciatic nerve with chromic catgut. Nociception was assessed using the functional disability test, which measures, in a one-minute interval, the time during which the animal holds its hind paw (THHP) in a guarded position. Assessments were performed preoperatively, and on the third, sixth, and tenth post-operative (PO) days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All groups showed a significant increase in THHP on third, sixth, and tenth PO days, as compared to preoperative values. In CG, no significant change was observed in PO assessments, unlike what happened in LISG and PTSG groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exercise produced greater hyperalgesia.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná, Colegiado de Fisioterapia, Brazil. gladson_ricardo@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Gladson Ricardo Flor
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Bertolini
authors.forename: Cassiane Merigo
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: do Nascimento
authors.forename: Elisangela Lourdes
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Artifon
authors.forename: Daniela Martins
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.forename: Anamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meireles
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000502:physiology*; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012585:Sciatica / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology*