BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Models of physical exercise for animals are useful tools to analyze organic functions difficult to be observed in humans, such as the evolution of pain after tendinous trauma. This study aimed at comparing the effects of resistance physical exercise on pain and edema in calcaneal tendons of rats submitted to trauma. METHOD: We used 18 Wistar rats divided in 3 groups: Control Group (CG, n = 6) - animals submitted to right calcaneal tendon trauma and untreated; Group 2 Jump (G2, n = 6) - animals submitted to trauma and treated with jumps in water, 2 series of 5 jumps; Group 3 Jump (G3, n = 6) - animals submitted to trauma and treated with jumps in water, 4 series of 5 jumps. To induce tendinous trauma, animals were anesthetized and received trauma with approximately 0.40 J in the lateral face of the calcaneal tendon. Jumps were performed daily with 24-hour intervals between applications. Digital Von Frey filament was used to assess pain and edema was assessed by tendon diameter variation with a caliper rule. RESULTS: Results have shown a slight advantage for G2, which has performed less repetitions of the exercise; for edema, however, there has been slight advantage for G3. CONCLUSION: Physical exercise has been slightly beneficial to decrease edema and pain.
Calcaneal tendon; Exercise; Pain measurement
