Study on changes in skin extensibility during the development of joint contracture due to joint immobilization in rats.
[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to elucidate whether skin extensibility decreases when a contracture develops as a result of joint immobilization. [Subjects] This study was conducted on six female Wistar rats. [Methods] The rats were divided into two experimental groups. In the immobilized group, the right ankle joints were immobilized in complete plantar flexion by plaster casts for two weeks. In the control group, the left ankle joints had no intervention. On the final day, skin extensibility was determined from a length-tension curve by collecting skin from the posterior aspect of the ankle joint and using a tensile strength tester. [Results] Compared with the control group, the immobilized group showed a significant decrease in skin extensibility. [Conclusion] The results demonstrated that the extensibility of the skin itself decreases when joint contracture develops.
Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Science, Osaka Yukioka College of Health Science, Japan.
Atsushi
A
Tasaka
Graduate School of Comprehensive Scientific Research, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Japan ; Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health and Welfare, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Japan.
Takeya
T
Ono
Graduate School of Comprehensive Scientific Research, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Japan ; Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health and Welfare, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Japan.
Sadaaki
S
Oki
Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health and Welfare, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Japan.
Namiko
N
Umei
Graduate School of Comprehensive Scientific Research, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Japan.
Hideki
H
Ishikura
Graduate School of Comprehensive Scientific Research, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Japan.
Kazuki
K
Aihara
Graduate School of Comprehensive Scientific Research, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Japan.
Yuta
Y
Sato
Graduate School of Comprehensive Scientific Research, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Japan.
Tomohiro
T
Matsumoto
Joint contracture; Rat; Skin