# TORQUE GENERATION FOLLOWING SURGICAL TENDON TRANSFERS

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 1992 · $99,468

## Abstract

Following neuromuscular injury or disease, surgical tendon
transfer procedures successfully restore lost limb function, improve
hygiene, and relieve pain caused by spastic muscles.  After successful
tendon transfer procedures, patients achieve improved function, avoiding
the need for constant nursing care.  This proposal is based on studies
which established the functional relationship between muscle sarcomere
length, joint moment arm, and joint production.  The thesis of this
proposal is that muscle fiber length dramatically affects what we term
the "torque profile" (ie. peak torque, range of motion, and the angle at
which peak torque occurs).  Our objective is to define the adaptation in
muscle fiber length which occurs in mammalian muscle following chronic
length change, and to determine its influence on the torque profile.
          The relationship between sarcomere length, moment arm, and
torque will be determined in the mouse extensor digitorum longus (EDL)
muscle following chronic length change due to immobilization and
following surgical alteration of muscle moment arm.  The time course of
change in muscle properties and torque profile will be determined at
various time intervals following the treatment.  In addition, the time
course of change in muscle fiber myosin content will be determined using
monoclonal antibodies to the various myosin isoforms and mRNA probes of
myosin messenger RNA precursors.
          In addition to the animal experiments proposed, we will measure
torque profiles in human subjects following surgical transfer of the
flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU) muscle to the extensor digitorum communis
(EDC).  Because these two muscles have quite different fiber lengths, we
hypothesize that the strength change observed in patients postoperatively
will represent fiber length adaptation within the FCU muscle rather than
FCU fiber area changes.  Taken together, these studies will establish a
scientific basis for the tendon transfer procedures as well as improve
our understanding of musculoskeletal design and plasticity.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3157103
- **Project number:** 5R01AR035192-07
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **SAM.gov UEI:** UYTTZT6G9DT1
- **Principal Investigator:** Richard L. Lieber
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1992
- **Award amount:** $99,468
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1986-07-01 → 1994-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3157103

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3157103, TORQUE GENERATION FOLLOWING SURGICAL TENDON TRANSFERS (5R01AR035192-07). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-24 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3157103. Licensed CC0.

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