The anatomic size of the capillary-to-fiber (C/F) interface plays an important role in O(2) flux from blood to tissue by determining the surface area available for diffusion and is maintained in relative proportion to fiber mitochondrial volume across a wide range of muscle aerobic capacity. In the present study, we examined an estimate of the anatomic size of the C/F interface [the quotient of...

Rehabilitative body weight supported gait training aims at restoring walking function as a key element in activities of daily living. Studies demonstrated reductions muscle and joint forces, while kinematic patterns appear to be preserved with up 30% support. However, the influence support on architecture, respect fascicle series elastic behavior is unknown, despite this having potential clinic...

Distinguishing gastrocnemius and soleus muscle function is relevant for treating gait disorders in which abnormal plantarflexor activity may contribute to pathological movement patterns. Our objective was to use experimental and computational analysis to determine the influence of gastrocnemius and soleus activity on lower limb movement, and determine if anatomical variability of the gastrocnem...

BACKGROUND Groin dissections result in large wounds with exposed femoral vessels requiring soft tissue coverage, and the reconstructive options are diverse. In this study we reviewed our experience with the use of the pedicled anterolateral thigh and vertical rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flaps in the reconstruction of large groin wounds. METHODS Groin reconstructions performed over a per...

The loss of normal weight-bearing activity, which occurs during bed rest, limb immobilization, and spaceflight, stimulates a catabolic response within the musculoskeletal system, which results in a loss of skeletal muscle mass and bone mineral. The mechanism by which loading of muscle and bone is sensed and translated into signals controlling tissue formation remains a major question in the fie...

This study tested the hypothesis that the ratio of changes in muscle fascicle and tendon length that occurs with joint movement scales linearly with the ratio of the slack lengths of the muscle fascicles and tendons. We compared the contribution of muscle fascicles to passive muscle-tendon lengthening in muscles with relatively short and long fascicles. Fifteen healthy adults participated in th...

BACKGROUND Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic musculoskeletal pain disorder, characterized by chronic widespread pain and bodily tenderness and is often accompanied by affective disturbances, however often with unknown etiology. According to recent reports, physical and psychological stress trigger FM. To develop new treatments for FM, experimental animal models for FM are needed to be development ...

Recently, combined tissues or flaps have been used for the repair of extensively massive or wide defects resulting from radical wide resection. To further advance the development of combined tissue transfers, they should be reclassified. Based on our cases with free tissue transfers, we have created a new classification of combined flaps composed of "bridge", "chimeric", "siamese", "mosaic", an...

Hoffman BW, Cresswell AG, Carroll TJ, Lichtwark GA. Muscle fascicle strains in human gastrocnemius during backward downhill walking. J Appl Physiol 116: 1455–1462, 2014. First published April 4, 2013; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.01431.2012.—Extensive muscle damage can be induced in isolated muscle preparations by performing a small number of stretches during muscle activation. While typically thes...