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Immature tendon adaptation to strenuous exercise
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1988
Year
Muscle FunctionEngineeringTendon Collagen DepositionOrthopaedic SurgeryCollagen ConcentrationsKinesiologyTendon CollagenSkeletal MuscleBiomechanicsApplied PhysiologyStrenuous ExercisePoultry ScienceHealth SciencesAnimal PhysiologyMechanobiologyPhysical FitnessMusculoskeletal FunctionAnimal ScienceExercise PhysiologyPhysiologyTendon Injury
White Leghorn roosters (3 wk old) were randomly assigned to runner or control groups. Runners were subjected to a progressive treadmill running program for 8 wk, 5 days/wk at 70-80% maximal O2 consumption (VO2 max). After 8 wk, runners showed a significant elevation in gastrocnemius fumarase activity (51%) and a 21% increase in VO2max compared with controls. The exercise program induced a significant increase in tendon collagen deposition (46%) without any changes in DNA, proteoglycan, and collagen concentrations or tendon dry weight. Also, tendon collagen from runners contained fewer (50%) pyridinoline cross-links. These results suggest that high-intensity exercise causes greater matrix-collagen turnover in growing chickens, resulting in reduced maturation of tendon collagen.