Balance and coordination training after sciatic nerve injury

Introduction: Numerous therapeutic interventions have been tested to enhance functional recovery after peripheral nerve injuries. Methods: After sciatic nerve crush in rats we tested balance and coordination and motor control training in sensorimotor tests and analyzed nerve and muscle histology. Results: The balance and coordination training group and the sham group had better results than the sedentary and motor control groups in sensorimotor tests. The sham and balance and coordination groups had a significantly larger muscle area than the other groups, and the balance and coordination group showed significantly better values than the sedentary and motor control groups for average myelin sheath thickness and g‐ratio of the distal portion of the nerve. Conclusions: The findings indicate that balance and coordination training improves sciatic nerve regeneration, suggesting that it is possible to revert and/or prevent soleus muscle atrophy and improve performance on sensorimotor tests. Muscle Nerve 44: 55–62, 2011.