Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of kinesiotherapy on the functionality of the pelvic limb of rats after ischemic and reperfusion injury. METHODS: 10 rats were divided into two groups, GI (control) and GII (kinesiotherapy). All the animals underwent ischemia for a period of three hours, followed by tissue reperfusion. In Group GII, non-resistive systemic kinesiotherapy was performed (swimming) in three weekly sessions of 50 minutes, over a period of four weeks, while the GI animals remained at rest. Functional analysis of motor behavior was evaluated weekly. The animals were then sacrificed, and the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles and the sciatic nerve removed for histopathological analysis. RESULTS: There was a significant recovery of motor behavior with kinesiotherapeutic treatment during the four weeks of treatment. However, the histological examination of the tissues showed no morphological changes of cell injury and repair. CONCLUSION: It was not possible to affirm that the exercise was effective in cell repair, because neither of the groups (control and experimental) showed any histological difference. On the other hand, systemic kinesiotherapy showed a beneficial effect on functional rehabilitation after ischemia and reperfusion. Level of evidence III, Case-Control Study .