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J Reconstr Microsurg 1999; 15(2): 143-149
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-1000085
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

© 1999 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.

Rat Walking Tracks do not Reflect Maximal Muscle Force Capacity

Melanie S. Urbanchek, Kevin C. Chung, Hirotaka Asato, Lance N. Washington, William M. Kuzon Jr. 
  • Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Publication History

Accepted for Publication 1998

Publication Date:
08 March 2008 (online)

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ABSTRACT

The relationship between walking-track measurements and maximum force generation in reinner-vated rat hindlimb muscles was assessed. A rat model was designed to result in a broad range of recoveries of both muscle force and walking-track measurements after unilateral sciatic nerve injury and reconstruction. Three months following sciatic nerve injury, maximal force in the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle ranged from 1325 to 3666 mN, and maximal specific forces ranged from 137.5 to 359.4 kNm-2. In the same animals, functional intermediate toe spread factor (FIS) ranged from -0.03 to -0.78. Neither the correlation coefficient between EDL muscle maximal force and FIS (r = 0.4) nor that between EDL maximal specific force and FIS (r = -0.2) were statistically significant. The lack of correlation between muscle maximal force values and walking-track measurements suggests that these neuromuscular tests are assessing different factors.