Study on the muscular pain in the early phase of inactivity and effects of physical therapy on its development.

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K01537
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering
• Research Institution: Nagoya Gakuin University
• Principal Investigator: Koeda Tomoko 名古屋学院大学, リハビリテーション学部, 教授 (20223050)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 水村 和枝 中部大学, 生命健康科学部, 客員教授 (00109349) ; 片野坂 公明 中部大学, 生命健康科学部, 准教授 (50335006) ; 縣 信秀 常葉大学, 保健医療学部, 講師 (00549313)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 不活動 / 機械痛覚閾値 / 神経成長因子 / マクロファージ / 活性酸素 / 温熱療法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We showed previously that nerve growth factor (NGF) is involved in muscle pain caused by 4 weeks of physical inactivity. Using a rat inactivity model in which both hind limbs were fixed by casts in the full plantar flexion, we studied whether NGF was involved in the muscle pain development even in the initial stage (1-2 weeks) of inactivity We also examined whether macrophages and active oxygen were involved in NGF production, moreover, whether thermal therapies such as a hot pack and an ultrasound treatment influence muscle pain and NGF. As a result, it was clarified that NGF was involved in the muscle pain of the early stage of inactivity. The association between NGF production and macrophages was indeterminate, and the association of NGF production with antioxidant activity was denied. Physical therapies such as hot pack and ultrasound treatment suppressed the inactivity-induced muscle pain, and the hot pack also affected the expression of NGF in dorsal root ganglion.

Free Research Field

理学療法学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

不活動状態によって生じる疼痛は、生体内で発痛作用のある神経成長因子（NGF）が早期から産生され、それによって引き起こされていることが明らかとなった。その産生メカニズムについては十分に解明することができなかったが、不活動初期からの温熱療法が有用であることを明らかにした。このことは臨床において寝たきり状態の高齢者だけでなく、外傷などによって活動性が低下した場合やデスクワークなどによる腰痛など不活動性疼痛に対する緩和の一助となる意義ある研究成果であった。