title: Hindlimb stretching alters locomotor function after spinal cord injury in the adult rat.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stretching is a widely accepted standard-of-care therapy following spinal cord injury (SCI) that has not been systematically studied in animal models.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the influence of a daily stretch-based physical therapy program on locomotor recovery in adult rats with moderate T9 contusive SCI.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized treatment and control study of stretching in an animal model of acute SCI. Moderate SCIs were delivered with the NYU Impactor. Daily stretching (30 min/day, 5 days/wk for 8 weeks) was provided by a team of animal handlers. Hindlimb function was assessed using the BBB Open Field Locomotor Scale and kinematically. Passive range-of-motion for each joint was determined weekly using a goniometer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Declines in hindlimb function during overground stepping were observed for the first 4 weeks for stretched animals. BBB scores improved weeks 5 to 10 but remained below the control group. Stretched animals had significant deficits in knee passive range of motion starting at week 4 and for the duration of the study. Kinematic assessment showed decreased joint excursion during stepping that partially recovered beginning at week 5.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stretch-based therapy significantly impaired functional recovery in adult rats with a moderate contusive SCI at T10. The negative impact on function was greatest acutely but persisted even after the stretching ceased at 8 weeks postinjury.
authors.affiliation: University of Louisville, Louisville KY, USA.
authors.forename: Krista L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Caudle
authors.affiliation: University of Louisville, Louisville KY, USA.
authors.forename: Darryn A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.affiliation: University of Louisville, Louisville KY, USA.
authors.forename: Edward H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: University of Louisville, Louisville KY, USA.
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Donaldson
authors.affiliation: University of Louisville, Louisville KY, USA.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Seibt
authors.affiliation: University of Louisville, Louisville KY, USA.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chea
authors.affiliation: University of Louisville, Louisville KY, USA.
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: University of Louisville, Louisville KY, USA.
authors.forename: Karianne
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: University of Louisville, Louisville KY, USA.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shum-Siu
authors.affiliation: University of Louisville, Louisville KY, USA.
authors.forename: Courtney C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Cron
authors.affiliation: University of Louisville, Louisville KY, USA Dsmagn01@louisville.edu.
authors.forename: David S K
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Magnuson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006614:Hindlimb; D008124:Locomotion; D052580:Muscle Stretching Exercises; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: hindlimb stretching; locomotor recovery; physical therapy; spinal cord injury
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