Soft tissue defects of the lower limb are a challenge to the plastic surgeon but a soleus muscle flap often provides the solution. Various types of soleus muscle flap have been described, based mainly on the vascular supply. This study has been conducted as a descriptive study. The arterial blood supply of the soleus muscle was studied in 45 cadaveric lower limbs. The blood vessels and their branches to the muscle were dissected. The mean length of the soleus muscle was 37±2.2 Cm. In 66.7% of the limbs at least two branches arose from the popliteal artery trunk. The average distance of the first branch was 2.61±1.75 Cm distal to the fibular head. And the second branch was 3.88±0.7 Cm distal to the fibular head. The average number of branches to the soleus muscle from the posterior tibial trunk was 4.3±0.7. The average distance of the first branch was 9.4± 2.3 Cm from medial malleolus and second branch was 15±3.4 Cm. The average number of branches to soleus arising from the proneal artery was 3.8±0.8. The proneal artery gave 2-5 branches to the soleus muscle in the limbs that in 95.6% of the limbs were found three branches from proneal artery trunk to soleus muscle. In this study have been shown, the distribution of the arteries entering the soleus muscle and how the information may be used in the design of soleus muscle flaps. However, clinical application of distal pedicle soleus muscle flaps in Iranian population is not beneficial and we do not recommend it to the surgeons.

Purpose: In this study we compared soleus and gastrocnemius responses to the paired stimulation in order to reveal embedded information in the H- reflex of these muscles.Materials and Method: Four men with ages between 20 and 26 were tested. Because there was no ideal point based on the scientific rules to record the h-reflex from the gastrocnemius, we were to determine an ideal point and electrode placement from anatomical and physiological point of view. After this step, the soleus and gastrocnemius were subjected to the paired stimulus and we record the h-reflex recovery curve of these muscles. To record the recovery curve, 11 pairs of stimulus were delivered to the posterior tibial nerve. The time interval between the 1st pair of the stimulus was 50 ms and was increased by 20 ms steps in the next pairs up to 250 ms. Relation of the second h-reflex amplitude to the first was calculated and expressed in percent. Then we draw the recovery curve using these values.Result and discussion: While the time interval of the paired stimulus was less than 110 ms, the behavior of the curves were similar. In this stage we guess that the muscles are impressed by the renshaw cells inhibition and the fatigue is induced by the first stimulus. When the interval of a pair was 110 ms or more the recovery of soleus was significantly higher than the gastrocnemius. This behavior may be due to a lesser fatigability of the soleus motoneurons and a less renshaw inhibition on the slow motoneurons of the soleus. When the time interval of a pair stimulus was increase1 to more than 170ms, both of the curves behave alike. The cause may be the diminishing of the renshaw cell inhibition and the reduction of the fatigue.Conclusion: Because of the physiological properties of motoneurons, when we excite the h-reflex, smaller motoneurons recruite predominantly; but comparing the soleus (slow) and gastrocnemius (fast) recovery curve behavior shows that the information of the fast motoneuron is included in the h-reflex. Using this procedure, we can assess different motoneuron and renshaw cell activities, indirectly. Of course this needs more controlled studies.

Introduction: The standard methods for reconstruction of soft tissue defects in legs are gastrocnemius flap for proximal third defects, soleus flap for middle third and free flap in the distal third. However, there are problems with the use of free flap, like increased operative time, damage of major vessels and the need for experienced microsurgeon. In this study we examined the ability of the gastrocsoleous flap for coverage of leg soft tissue defects.Methods: This cross-sectional study was undertaken on 23 patients (20 male and 3 female) with the mean age 32.13 years (14 to 65). This group consisted of all of the patients referred to Dr Bahonar Hospital, Kerman with soft tissue defects between April 2011 and April 2012. They were given informed consent for participation in the study and treatment of the defect with muscle flaps.8 patients with proximal third defects were treated with were treated with gastrocnemius flap, 4 with middle third defects with soleus flap and 3 with reverse soleus flap and 8 with distal third defects with reverse soleus flap. The patients were followed up for at least 1 year. Finally the results were analyzed by SPSS 16.Results: The results for patients with soft tissue defect in proximal and middle third of leg repair was successful. In 5 patients with soft tissue defect in distal third of leg, repair was complete but, in 3 of them flap failure was seen. Overall success rate for reverse soleous flap was 72.7%.Conclusion: The success rate of the flap for the upper and lower thirds was similar to other studies and seems that this is the standard method. In the upper half of distal third reverse soleous flap was successful, but in the lower half of the leg it failed in all 3 cases and it seems that preoperative investigations such as angiography must be performed before embarking on such a procedure.

The aim of current study is investigation effectiveness of 3 months aerobic exercise with Origanum majorana extract on male rats soleus muscle apoptosis. In current experimental study, 35 heads of male rats with 3 month age were alternated randomize in 5 groups( aerobic exercise, Origanum majorana extract, exercise+ Origanum majorana extract, 6 months controlling and also 3 months controlling. Exercise and exercise+ Origanum majorana extract groups implemented aerobic exercises during 12 weeks (5 days per week, 15% inclination, 10-60 minutes and 24-33 m/m speed). After 48 hours of last exercise, male rats soleus muscle were extracted and involved genes expression in apoptosis (Caspase 9 and Cythocrome C) were investigated by PCR. Data were analyzed by one-way variance analysis test at 0. 05 significant levels. Results showed that, after intervention; soleus muscle weight and its proportion against body weight had significant difference (P<0. 05) between groups. Also caspase 9 relative expression amount between groups had significant difference (P<0. 05) after intervention, but there wasn't significant difference between groups according to Cythocrome C relative expression amount. (P>0. 05) Aging cause to increasing rats body weight and reducing soleus muscle weight against body weight and also Caspase 9 increase simultaneously, but Cythocrome C expression amount doesn’ t change. So, exercise and consumption of Origanum majorana extract lower mentioned increasing cases.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of fatigue on electromyography activity of biceps femoris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles of soccer players. Materials and Methods: In this study timing and electromyography activity of biceps femoris, medial gastrocnemius and soleus of soccer players (15 subjects) during different times of football were investigated. Surface electromyography (ME6000) was used to collect data during single leg drop (before the game, after the first and the second half time). Results: Results of this study showed that although fatigue affects muscle's timing but in different periods of time it wasn’ t significant (P>0. 05). Conspiciously, significant differences were observed for feedforward activity of biceps femoris and soleus (P≤ 0. 05), but for medial gastrocnemius it wasn't significant (P>0. 05). Also significant differences were observed for feedback activity of soleus muscles (P≤ 0. 05), but it wasn’ t significant for biceps femoris and medial gastrocnemius (P>0. 05). Conclusion: It can be concluded that fatigue leads to insignificant changes in timing but there were significant differences for feed forward activity of biceps femoris and soleus and feedback activity of soleus. So, during training sessions, trainers should be trying to improve player's tolerance and prevent soccer injuries.

Background: Afferent and efferent pathways of F wave and efferent pathway of H reflex are composed of alpha motor neurons. Afferent neurons of H reflex are large sensory fibers. Despite the well-accepted opinion that sensory fibers generally conduct impulses faster than motor fibers, histologic examination of the peripheral nerves have revealed similar diameters for both motor and sensory nerves suggesting similar conduction velocities. Materials and Methods: In this study tibial nerves of eighty-one healthy volunteers with an age range of 20 to 30 years were stimulated in order to measure Hand F wave latencies of soleus muscles.. Electrodes of electromyography were in8erted in the popliteal fossa of the patients. Maximum height of H reflex was measured with an increasing direct current starting with 1 milliamper for one millisecond. H reflex latency was measured from the time of stimulation. In the same way, F wave and its latency was also measured. Results: Mean latency of F wave was 28.3 millisecond (23.2-35.6 millisecond). Mean latency of H reflex was 27.6 millisecond (22-30.8 millisecond). Mean difference of F and H waves (F-H) was 8 milliseconds. Turn around time for motor neuron reactivation in the spinal cord was 1 millisecond, which is at least 0.3 milliseconds shorter than synaptic transmission time of H reflex. Conclusion: It can be concluded that H wave conduction velocity is faster than F wave in healthy subjects. The findings also shown that large sensory neurons are faster than motor neurons.