Background. Due to the deleterious effects of obesity on muscle tissue and the search for tools to reverse these losses, it is important to understand the effect of physical exercises on the muscle structure of obese individuals. This study aimed to analyze the effect of wholebody vibration (WBV) on the histomorphological parameters of the anterior tibial muscle using the monosodium l-glutamate (MSG) obesity model. Methods. MSG-obese rats that were exposed to WBV on a vibrating platform with a frequency of 60 Hz, the amplitude of 2 mm, three times/week, 10 min/day, for eight weeks (from postnatal day (PN) 80 to PN136). The histomorphology of the anterior tibial muscle was evaluated. Results. When performing a WBV exercise, the animals showed altered structural responses in the MSG animals, such as reduced muscle mass, increased connective tissue, and nuclear activity. The WBV reduced the extracellular matrix and the nuclear activity in the MSG animals, showing efficiency in the protocol. Conclusions. Even with the aggressive character of the MSG model, the WBV exercise was able to induce repair to the muscle tissue of these animals, thus being a safe protocol for use in similar conditions.

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Estrogen is essential for maintaining the mass and strength of the muscle, and its decrease in menopause leads to sarcopenia. Among the therapeutic modalities, the whole body vibration

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disease mainly affecting synovial joints. Photobiomodulation through low‐level laser therapy (LLLT) and resistance exercise may improve the inflammatory process. Therefore, we analyzed the effects of resistance exercise, LLLT, and the combination of both treatments on hind paw grip strength and ankle joint histomorphometric aspects of Wistar rats subjected to experimental RA. A total of 64 male Wistar rats were divided into eight groups: control, control LLLT, control exercise, control LLLT and exercise, arthritis, arthritis LLLT, arthritis exercise, and arthritis LLLT and exercise groups. The experimental RA was induced by a complete Freund's adjuvant injection into the knee joint cavity. Climbing exercises and LLLT (660 nm; 5 J/cm2 per point) were performed as the treatment. In addition, muscle strength was evaluated using the grip strength test, and morphometric evaluations were performed on the ankle joint. Generalized mixed models and multivariate analysis of variance tests were used for statistical analysis. Statistical significance was set at a p‐value of .05. Arthritis LLLT, exercise, and LLLT and exercise had positive effects on grip strength between the groups (F[7.56] = 5.8, p < .004) and within the groups (F[4.3] = 9.9, p < .002) throughout the evaluations. Morphometry revealed degenerative lesions in the ankle joint as subintima with angiogenesis, inflammatory cells, flocculated articular cartilage, chondrocyte disorganization, and pannus in the arthritis group (p < .001). The treated groups exhibited morphological characteristics similar to those of the control group. LLLT and resistance exercise restored muscle strength and morphological aspects of the ankle joint in rats with experimentally induced RA.

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Introduction and aim. The knee is one of the joints where immobilization is most used, however, it can cause morphological changes in the joint tissues and is a challenge to be overcome during rehabilitation. Whole-body vibration (WBV) is capable of generating repetitive oscillatory movements, which cause mechanical stimuli that interfere with tissue plasticity. The aim of this study was to analyze the knee morphology of Wistar rats submitted to remobilization with WBV. Material and methods. 32 male rats were used, divided into four groups (n=8): Control Group (G1), Immobilization Group (G2), Immobilized Group and Free Remobilization (G3), Remobilized Group with WBV (G4). For immobilization, a plastered apparatus was used for 15 days. G3 and G4 carried out free remobilization or with WBV, respectively, for 2 weeks. The knee joints were processed for light microscopy. Results. The WBV led to a reduction in the inflammatory infiltrate in the articular cavity and greater presence of adipocytes in the subintima of the synovial membrane. Conclusion. Remobilization with WBV induced a better tissue response in the synovial membrane when compared to free remobilization.