title: Previous physical exercise slows down the complications from experimental diabetes in the calcaneal tendon.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  the complications caused by diabetes increase fragility in the muscle-tendon system, resulting in degeneration and easier rupture. To avoid this issue, therapies that increase the metabolism of glucose by the body, with physical activity, have been used after the confirmation of diabetes. We evaluate the biomechanical behavior of the calcaneal tendon and the metabolic parameters in rats induced to experimental diabetes and submitted to pre- and post-induction exercise.
  
  
  METHODS
  54-male-Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: Control Group (CG), Swimming Group (SG), Diabetic Group (DG), and Diabetic Swimming Group (DSG). The trained groups were submitted to swimming exercise, while unexercised groups remained restricted to the cages. Metabolic and biomechanical parameters were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the clinical parameters of DSG showed no change due to exercise protocol. The tendon analysis of the DSG showed increased values for the elastic modulus (p<0.01) and maximum tension (p<0.001) and lowest value for transverse area (p<0.001) when compared to the SG, however it showed no difference when compared to DG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the homogeneous values presented by the tendons of the DG and DSG show that physical exercise applied in the pre- and post-induction wasn't enough to promote a protective effect against the tendinopathy process, but prevent the progress of degeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil.
authors.forename: Márcio Almeida
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bezerra
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cybelle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: da Silva Nery
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapist.
authors.forename: Patrícia Verçoza
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: de Castro Silveira
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriel Nunes
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: de Mesquita
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapist.
authors.forename: Thainá
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: de Gomes Figueiredo
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil.
authors.forename: Magno Felipe Holanda Barboza Inácio
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil.
authors.forename: Silvia Regina Arruda
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: de Moraes
keywords: animals; biomechanics; diabetes mellitus; tendinopathy