Table 2.
Benefits of exercise in rodent models of peripheral nerve injury.
| Species | Mode of exercise | Pain model | Benefit | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rat | Treadmill running | Left peroneal nerve was sectioned then immediately self-anastomosed. | Better functional recovery of muscle sensory axons | [39] |
| Treadmill running | Sciatic nerve transection and repair | Enhancement of muscle reinnervation | [54] | |
| Treadmill running | Sciatic nerve transection and repair | Improvement of muscle reinnervation and increase of regenerated axons number | [53] | |
| Treadmill running | Sciatic nerve transection and repair | Enhancement of functional muscle reinnervation. | [46] | |
| Treadmill running | Sciatic nerve transection and repair | Better motor axon regeneration and muscle fiber reinnervation | [56] | |
| Treadmill running | Sciatic nerve transection and repair | Enhancement of motor axon regeneration | [57] | |
| Mouse | Treadmill running | Sciatic nerve transection and repair | Enhancement of motor axon regeneration | [45] |
| Treadmill running | Common fibular nerve transection and repair | Enhancement of axon regeneration | [47] | |
| Treadmill running | Common fibular and tibial nerves were cut and repaired using a graft of the same nerve from BDNF−/− in Schwann cells or WT mice | Enhanced axon elongation | [44] | |
| Treadmill running | Median nerve transection and repair | Better recovery of strength, muscle mass and higher expression of neurotrophic factors | [52] | |
| Rat | Wheel running | Unilateral sciatic nerve crush | Increased nerve regeneration and high levels of BDNF | [41] |
| Mouse | Wheel running | Long-gap sciatic nerve injury | Higher innervation ratio of muscle spindles and higher number of axons/myelin in the tube. | [58] |