No abstract

We studied the effect of oxygen-free radicals on fracture healing. 30 male rats were divided into 2 groups: 15 rats were given saline 5 mL/kg i.p. (control group) and 15 were given zymosan 100 mg/kg i.p. to induce oxygen-free radicals through stimulation of NADPH oxidase in polymorphonuclear leucocytes. 1 hour later, the right forelimbs of the rats were broken by light manual compression. These treatments were given once a day until the fifth post-fracture day. All rats were killed on day 22, and histological sections of the radius and ulna were examined without knowledge of the treatment given. The administration of zymosan impaired the fracture healing and therefore oxygen-free radicals appear to play an important role in fracture healing.

We concluded that both long-distance and particularly short-distance (100-m) swimming increased the activities of antioxidant defense enzymes.

No abstract

Acetabular, femoral and tibial torsion of 50 normal adult male subjects were measured by computerized tomography and the relationship between these angles and foot-progression angle was examined. The mean acetabular anteversion was 15.6 degrees on the right and 15.8 degrees on the left, (range 3 degrees-30 degrees). The mean femoral torsion was 6.5 degrees on the right and 5.8 degrees on the left (range 14 degrees-28 degrees). The mean tibiofibular torsion was 30.9 degrees on the right and 29.1 degrees on the left (range 16 degrees-50 degrees). Although the normal range of torsional measurements of the lower extremity was very broad, subjects usually had out-toeing, with a mean foot-progression angle of 13.7 degrees on the right and 13.0 degrees on the left (range 6 degrees-21 degrees). No correlation was detected on the rotation between different levels of the lower limb. No difference was detected in the lower extremity rotational profile between right and left sides.