The aim of this work was to compare weight and length adaptations of the soleus muscle of male Wistar rats as well as estimation of the total number of serial sarcomere and mean sarcomere length, when they are submitted to remobilization on treadmill. 18 Wistar male rats were used and divided in the three following groups: CG - left soleus (LS) muscle immobilized and remobilized free in the cage; G10 - LS muscle immobilized and remobilized in speed of 10 m/min on treadmill; and G12 - LS muscle immobilized and remobilized in speed of 12 m/min. The right muscles (RS) of each animal were used for comparison. The results showed the following variations, muscular weigh: CG -22.35% (p = 0.0089), G10 -12.52% (p = 0.0623), G12 -12.07%, (p = 0.0004); muscle length: CG -5.47% (p = 0.0120), G10 -3.31% (p = 0.2868), G12 0.41% (p = 0.8987); estimation of number of serial sarcomere: CG -15.42% (p = 0.0047), G10 -10.87% (p = 0.0193), G12 -4.97 (p = 0.2409); sarcomere length: CG 11.16%, (p = 0.0142), G10 9.31% (p = 0.1270), G12 5.58% (p = 0.1327). It was concluded that G12 presented the best effectiveness after immobilization period since it presented greater similarity with the non-immobilized soleus.
rehabilitation; skeletal muscle; sarcomere