Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of immobilization and analyze the influence of free remobilization or the association of therapeutic exercises in an aquatic environment on the morphology of the knee joint. Eighteen Wistar rats were used. They had had their right hind limb immobilized at the full extension of the knee for 15 days, and also divided into three groups: G1, which suffered no intervention; G2, which were subjected to free remobilization; and G3, which had remobilization through exercises (swimming and jumping) in an aquatic environment for 14 days. The right and left knee articulations were collected and embedded in paraffin for morphological analysis. The immobilization and remobilization altered the thickness of the articular cartilage and the number of chondrocytes. The articular cartilage and the synovial membrane suffer degenerative changes due to articular disuse during immobilization; and these changes were gradually reversed by remobilization in an aquatic environment. The combination of swimming and jumping in an aquatic environment proved to be an efficient alternative to articular remobilization and can be used as exercises in physiotherapy rehabilitation programs.
Keywords:
Cartilage, Articular; Synovial Membrane; Knee Joint; Immobilization; Rehabilitation; Swimming; Physical Therapy Modalities; Rats, Wistar
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