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Bone-tendon junction (BTJ) injuries are common and may be caused by acute trauma and delayed healing during exercise or work. To understand the nature of the healing process of BTJ injuries would help to prevent injuries and improve treatment. Thirty-three mature female rabbit hindlimbs were assigned to normal control (CON, n = 7) and injury groups (n = 26). The acute injury was established by administering one 7 plumblossom needle puncture. Specimens were harvested post injury at 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks (ND1W, n = 6; ND2W, n = 6; ND4W, n = 7; and ND8W, n = 7). The injury existed in all of the injury groups. Compared with the CON group, all of the animals in the injury group showed poor cell profiles, an unclear or undetectable tide mark, a proteoglycan area and profile changes; the BTJ cell density diminished significantly in the ND1W (p < 0.01), ND2W (p < 0.05), ND4W (p < 0.01), and ND8W groups (p < 0.01); the fibrocartilage zone thickness in all injury groups was significantly thicker than in the CON group (p < 0.05), but no significant difference was found among the injury groups (p>0.05). The basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) expression in the CON group was significantly less than in the ND1W group (p<0.01), but no significant difference was found when compared with the ND2W, ND4W, and ND8W groups. The bFGF expression in the ND1W group was higher than that of the ND4W (p < 0.05) and ND8W groups (p < 0.01). The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels were not significantly different among the groups (p > 0.05). The bFGF and VEGF expression levels indicated that the healing process stopped at 8 weeks post injury or was not activated, although the injury had not healed by histological examination. A repeatable animal model of BTJ acute injury was established in this study, and the results described the BTJ acute injury healing difficult concerned with the repairing stop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone-tendon junction (BTJ) overuse injuries are common athletic and occupational problems. BTJ injuries may sometimes be caused by resuming training too early after injury. To study the effects of post-injury resuming training within 48 hours on the acute injury healing process, as it is often the case for athletes. Twelve mature female rabbits were assigned to one of the following groups: acute injury (AI, n = 6), post-injury early return to training (PIERT, n = 6) and normal control (CON, n = 6). Tissue specimens were harvested at week 4. The radiological and histological characteristics of the AI and PIERT groups were compared among the groups. The trabecular thickness of the PIERT group was significantly different from those of the AI and CON group. A histological evaluation revealed poor collagen fibre alignment, extensive scar tissue and lowered cell density in the AI and PIERT groups compared with the CON group, but no significant differences were observed between the AI group and the PIERT group. The fibrocartilage zone and proteoglycan area in the PIERT group were significantly different from those in AI group. No differences were observed in the Total VOI volume (TV), Object volume (OBV), Percent object volume (BV/TV) and trabecular number (Tb.N) among the AI, PIERT and CON groups. In conclusion, a repeatable animal model of bone-tendon junction acute micro-damage by puncture was established. Resuming training in 48 hours did not significantly deteriorate the BTJ injury healing, but improved bone remodelling and increased fibrocartilage zone thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]