Browsing by Author "Scott, Alexander"

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    Understanding Mechanobiology: Physical Therapists as a Force in Mechanotherapy and Musculoskeletal Regenerative Rehabilitation.
    (APTA, 2016-04) Thompson, William R.; Scott, Alexander; Loghmani, M. Terry; Ward, Samuel R.; Warden, Stuart J.; Department of Physical Therapy, IU School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
    Achieving functional restoration of diseased or injured tissues is the ultimate goal of both regenerative medicine approaches and physical therapy interventions. Proper integration and healing of the surrogate cells, tissues, or organs introduced using regenerative medicine techniques are often dependent on the co-introduction of therapeutic physical stimuli. Thus, regenerative rehabilitation represents a collaborative approach whereby rehabilitation specialists, basic scientists, physicians, and surgeons work closely to enhance tissue restoration by creating tailored rehabilitation treatments. One of the primary treatment regimens that physical therapists use to promote tissue healing is the introduction of mechanical forces, or mechanotherapies. These mechanotherapies in regenerative rehabilitation activate specific biological responses in musculoskeletal tissues to enhance the integration, healing, and restorative capacity of implanted cells, tissues, or synthetic scaffolds. To become future leaders in the field of regenerative rehabilitation, physical therapists must understand the principles of mechanobiology and how mechanotherapies augment tissue responses. This perspective article provides an overview of mechanotherapy and discusses how mechanical signals are transmitted at the tissue, cellular, and molecular levels. The synergistic effects of physical interventions and pharmacological agents also are discussed. The goals are to highlight the critical importance of mechanical signals on biological tissue healing and to emphasize the need for collaboration within the field of regenerative rehabilitation. As this field continues to emerge, physical therapists are poised to provide a critical contribution by integrating mechanotherapies with regenerative medicine to restore musculoskeletal function.
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    Uphill treadmill running does not induce histopathological changes in the rat Achilles tendon
    (Springer Nature, 2013-03-11) Dirks, Rachel C.; Richard, Jeffrey S.; Fearon, Angela M.; Scott, Alexander; Koch, Lauren G.; Britton, Steven L.; Warden, Stuart J.; Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology, School of Medicine
    Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether uphill treadmill running in rats created histopathological changes within the Achilles tendon consistent with Achilles tendinosis in humans. Methods: Twenty-six mature rats selectively bred for high-capacity running were divided into run and cage control groups. Run group rats ran on a treadmill at a 15° incline for a maximum duration of 1 hr/d, 5 d/wk for 9 weeks at increasing speeds, while rats in the cage control group maintained normal cage activity. After 9 weeks, Achilles tendons were harvested for histological processing and semi-quantitative histopathological analysis. Results: There were no significant group differences within each of the individual histopathological categories assessed (all p ≥ 0.16) or for total histopathological score (p = 0.14). Conclusions: Uphill treadmill running in rats selectively bred for high-capacity running did not generate Achilles tendon changes consistent with the histopathological presentation of Achilles tendinosis in humans.