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. 2021 May 18;11:10469. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-90010-2

Figure 5.

Figure 5

Exercise after a 30 day period of HLU results in recovery of cartilage and meniscal thickness and volume (n = 7–10/group). Arrows point to the approximate location of where measures were performed using 3D reconstructions of cartilage overlying the bone (a) Cartilage thickness at the tibial-femoral cartilage-cartilage contact point was lower in HLU compared to GROUND after 30 days, but not at other regions of the tibial plateau. (b) Thinning of cartilage at the tibial-femoral cartilage contact point remained in mice that had previously been HLU but returned to full weight-bearing from Days 31–80 but performed No Exercise. However, thickness of cartilage at the tibial-femoral contact point was significantly greater in previously HLU mice with both Climbing and Running from Days 31–80 than HLU-No Exercise. (c) Loss of cartilage volume observed throughout the medial tibial plateau was observed after Day 30 of HLU. For the mice that were previously HLU, recovery of cartilage volume was observed in HLU-Climbing and HLU-Running by Day 80. (d) Meniscal volume was marginally lower in HLU vs GROUND on DAY 30. Readaptation to full weight bearing from Days 31–80 in all HLU groups (HLU-No exercise, HLU-Climbing, and HLU-Running) resulted in recovery vs HLU on Day 30. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ****p < 0.0001.