Resistance training as a modality to enhance muscle regeneration in a rat skeletal muscle defect

Traumatic skeletal muscle injuries that include loss of large amounts of muscle mass are becoming more common in today’s warfare. Traditional treatments often do not prevent long term functional impairments. Using a decellularized extracellular matrix (ECM) as scaffolding to replace lost muscle tissue allows for transmission of force through the injury site, and provides a suitable microenvironment receptive to myofiber growth. Seeding the ECM with progenitor cells improves cellular content in the defect area. Exercise exposes the muscle to improved blood flow as well as higher than normal loading. This results in increased blood vessel density as well as higher levels of cellular content, and near complete restoration of function.