Mechanical Analysis of Muscle Tissue under Influence of Hormones

In the present study we examined morphometrically and mechanically, muscle of rats subjected to hormone use. We used two groups of wistar rats n = 8. One of them received ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel every day and other, was a control group and received placebo. The experiment lasted for 60 days to simulate one year of contraceptive use in women. After the experimental period, the animals were euthanized with overdose of anesthetic and the gastrocnemius muscles were dissected to perform the analyzes. Morphometrically, were examined muscle length, and the perimeter of the muscle belly. Were examined mechanically the maximum strength and stiffness of muscles. The results of this study show that, although animals undergoing hormone use have been growing larger longitudinal than in the control group, the mechanical properties of the muscles remained unchanged. It proposes that the number of ligament injuries in women is not due to a decrease in muscle stiffness stabilizer, but by unique mechanical properties of ligaments.