Effect of Immobilization and Suspension on Hindlimb Muscle in Rats

The effect of immobilization and suspension on hindlimb muscle was investigated in the rat. Both groups of immobilization and suspension for first week resulted in the decrease of the weight of hindlimb muscles. In the later two weeks, the group of immobilization resulted in decrease of muscle weights sequentially. However, the suspension resulted in the increase of the weight of other muscles except the soleus muscle adversely. These results showed that the atrophy by the immobilization was not same as the suspension. Furthermore, it was suggested that the effects of those models were different by the skeletal muscle