MORPHOMETRIC AND HISTOLOGICAL-FINDINGS ON THE M-QUADRICEPS FEMORIS UNDER GONARTHRITIS COUPLED WITH DEFECTIVE LEG POSITIONING

A pronounced valgization or varization of the lower extremity leads to changes in skeletal muscle which are histologically and morphometrica lly demonstrable in biopsies of Mm. vastus lateralis et medialis of pa tients with chronically anomalous stressing of the knee joint. During chronic over-stressing, increased thickness in type I and type II musc le fibers can be observed in both Mm. vastus medialis and lateralis, w hereas type II fibers demonstrate a greater variability and there is a greater occurrence in type I fibers. Our investigations show that a c hronic anomalous stressing influences both the size and energy metabol ism of a skeletal muscle cell in a manner which can be interpreted as a functional adaption.