Effect of 5 Weeks Horizontal Bed Rest on Human Muscle Thickness and Architecture of Weight Bearing and Non-weight Bearing Muscles

Overview

Journal Eur J Appl Physiol

Specialty Physiology

Date 2008 Mar 6

PMID 18320207

Citations 75

Authors

Maarten D de Boer

Olivier R Seynnes

Pietro E di Prampero

Rado Pisot

Igor B Mekjavic

Gianni Biolo

Marco V Narici

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the changes in thickness, fascicle length (L (f)) and pennation angle (theta) of the antigravity gastrocnemius medialis (GM) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles, and the non-antigravity tibialis anterior (TA) and biceps brachii (BB) muscles measured by ultrasonography in ten healthy males (aged 22.3 +/- 2.2 years) in response to 5 weeks of horizontal bed rest (BR). After BR, muscle thickness decreased by 12.2 +/- 8.8% (P < 0.05) and 8.0 +/- 9.1% (P < 0.005) in the GM and VL, respectively. No changes were observed in the TA and BB muscles. L (f) and theta decreased by 4.8 +/- 5.0% (P < 0.05) and 14.3 +/- 6.8% (P < 0.005) in the GM and by 5.9 +/- 5.3% (P < 0.05) and 13.5 +/- 16.2% (P < 0.005) in the VL, again without any changes in the TA and BB muscles. The finding that amongst the antigravity muscles of the lower limbs, the GM deteriorated to a greater extent than the VL is possibly related to the differences in relative load that this muscle normally experiences during daily loading. The dissimilar response in antigravity and non-antigravity muscles to unloading likely reflects differences in loading under normal conditions. The significant structural alterations of the GM and VL muscles highlight the rapid remodelling of muscle architecture occurring with disuse.

Citing Articles

A registration strategy to characterize DTI-observed changes in skeletal muscle architecture due to passive shortening.

Hooijmans M, Lockard C, Zhou X, Coolbaugh C, Guzman R, Kersh M PLoS One. 2025; 20(3):e0302675.

PMID: 40063556 PMC: 11892864. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302675.

Concordance of Freehand 3D Ultrasound Muscle Measurements With Sarcopenia Parameters in a Geriatric Rehabilitation Ward.

Huet J, Nordez A, Sarcher A, Mathieu M, Cornu C, Boureau A J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2024; 16(1):e13648.

PMID: 39575643 PMC: 11670163. DOI: 10.1002/jcsm.13648.

Effects of altered contractile environment on muscle shape change in the human triceps surae.

Kelp N, Tucker K, Hug F, Dick T J Exp Biol. 2024; 227(23).

PMID: 39422148 PMC: 11658685. DOI: 10.1242/jeb.248118.

Short-term cortical activation changes associated with postural compensation in swallowing.

Murray K, Wong S, Kamarunas E Exp Brain Res. 2024; 242(11):2623-2631.

PMID: 39320437 PMC: 11527899. DOI: 10.1007/s00221-024-06928-2.

Hinks A, Power G Skelet Muscle. 2024; 14(1):18.

PMID: 39095894 PMC: 11295870. DOI: 10.1186/s13395-024-00351-5.

References

Ericson M, Nisell R, Ekholm J . Quantified electromyography of lower-limb muscles during level walking. Scand J Rehabil Med. 1986; 18(4):159-63. View

Ferrando A, Lane H, Stuart C, Wolfe R . Prolonged bed rest decreases skeletal muscle and whole body protein synthesis. Am J Physiol. 1996; 270(4 Pt 1):E627-33. DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.1996.270.4.E627. View

Antonutto G, Capelli C, Girardis M, Zamparo P, di Prampero P . Effects of microgravity on maximal power of lower limbs during very short efforts in humans. J Appl Physiol (1985). 1999; 86(1):85-92. DOI: 10.1152/jappl.1999.86.1.85. View

Alkner B, Tesch P . Efficacy of a gravity-independent resistance exercise device as a countermeasure to muscle atrophy during 29-day bed rest. Acta Physiol Scand. 2004; 181(3):345-57. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-201X.2004.01293.x. View

de Boer M, Selby A, Atherton P, Smith K, Seynnes O, Maganaris C . The temporal responses of protein synthesis, gene expression and cell signalling in human quadriceps muscle and patellar tendon to disuse. J Physiol. 2007; 585(Pt 1):241-51. PMC: 2375459. DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2007.142828. View

Baldwin K . Effects of altered loading states on muscle plasticity: what have we learned from rodents?. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1996; 28(10 Suppl):S101-6. DOI: 10.1097/00005768-199610000-00042. View

de Boer M, Maganaris C, Seynnes O, Rennie M, Narici M . Time course of muscular, neural and tendinous adaptations to 23 day unilateral lower-limb suspension in young men. J Physiol. 2007; 583(Pt 3):1079-91. PMC: 2277190. DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2007.135392. View

Maganaris C, Reeves N, Rittweger J, Sargeant A, Jones D, Gerrits K . Adaptive response of human tendon to paralysis. Muscle Nerve. 2005; 33(1):85-92. DOI: 10.1002/mus.20441. View

Adams G, Hather B, Dudley G . Effect of short-term unweighting on human skeletal muscle strength and size. Aviat Space Environ Med. 1994; 65(12):1116-21. View

10.

Caiozzo V, Baker M, Herrick R, Tao M, Baldwin K . Effect of spaceflight on skeletal muscle: mechanical properties and myosin isoform content of a slow muscle. J Appl Physiol (1985). 1994; 76(4):1764-73. DOI: 10.1152/jappl.1994.76.4.1764. View

11.

Herbert M, Roy R, Edgerton V . Influence of one-week hindlimb suspension and intermittent high load exercise on rat muscles. Exp Neurol. 1988; 102(2):190-8. DOI: 10.1016/0014-4886(88)90093-3. View

12.

Kubo K, Akima H, Kouzaki M, Ito M, Kawakami Y, Kanehisa H . Changes in the elastic properties of tendon structures following 20 days bed-rest in humans. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2001; 83(6):463-8. DOI: 10.1007/s004210000309. View

13.

Ferrando A, Paddon-Jones D, Wolfe R . Alterations in protein metabolism during space flight and inactivity. Nutrition. 2002; 18(10):837-41. DOI: 10.1016/s0899-9007(02)00930-9. View

14.

Narici M, Cerretelli P . Changes in human muscle architecture in disuse-atrophy evaluated by ultrasound imaging. J Gravit Physiol. 2001; 5(1):P73-4. View

15.

Adams G, Caiozzo V, Baldwin K . Skeletal muscle unweighting: spaceflight and ground-based models. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2003; 95(6):2185-201. DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00346.2003. View

16.

Hather B, Adams G, Tesch P, Dudley G . Skeletal muscle responses to lower limb suspension in humans. J Appl Physiol (1985). 1992; 72(4):1493-8. DOI: 10.1152/jappl.1992.72.4.1493. View

17.

Alkner B, Tesch P . Knee extensor and plantar flexor muscle size and function following 90 days of bed rest with or without resistance exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2004; 93(3):294-305. DOI: 10.1007/s00421-004-1172-8. View

18.

Duchateau J . Bed rest induces neural and contractile adaptations in triceps surae. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1995; 27(12):1581-9. View

19.

Berg H, Dudley G, Haggmark T, Ohlsen H, Tesch P . Effects of lower limb unloading on skeletal muscle mass and function in humans. J Appl Physiol (1985). 1991; 70(4):1882-5. DOI: 10.1152/jappl.1991.70.4.1882. View

20.

Akima H, Kawakami Y, Kubo K, Sekiguchi C, Ohshima H, Miyamoto A . Effect of short-duration spaceflight on thigh and leg muscle volume. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000; 32(10):1743-7. DOI: 10.1097/00005768-200010000-00013. View