The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of intermittent low-intensity, short duration exercise during hindlimb suspension on the mass, relative weight, myofibrillar protein content, cross-sectional area of Type I and Type II fibers and SDH activity in Type II (plantaris) muscle. To examine the effectiveness of intermittent low-intensity, short duration exercise on mass, myofibrillar protein content and fiber size, the hindlimbs of adult female Wistar rats were suspended (HS) and half of these rats walked on a treadmill for 45 min/day(9 min every 2h) at 5m/min and a 15grade(HS-EX). Plantaris wet weight was 19.67% significantly smaller(p<0.005) and relative plantaris weight was 6.25% smaller compared with those of control rats following seven days of hindlimb suspension. Plantaris wet weight and relative plantaris weight increased by 27.66%, 12.22% each through intermittent exercise during hindlimb suspension (p<0.005, p<0.05), moreover, plantaris wet weight and relative plantaris weight of the HS-EX rats were similar to those of control rats. Soleus wet weight and relative soleus weight decreased significantly by 31% and 22.0% in the HS rats(p<0.05). Soleus wet weight and relative soleus weight increased by 10. 41%, 25.64% respectively through intermittent exercise during hindlimb suspension, furthermore, soleus wet weight and relative weight of the HS-EX rats were closer to those of control rats. Myofibrillar protein content of plantaris and soleus decreased significantly by 51.49%, 59.65% each, following seven days of hindlimb suspension (p<0.005). Myofibrillar protein content of plantaris and soleus increased by 51.79%, 75.47% each with significance through intermittent exercise during hindlimb suspension(p<0.005). Myofibrillar protein content of plantaris and soleus in HS-EX rats was smaller than that of control rats. No change was observed in fiber type percentage following 1 week of hindlimb suspension or exercise during hindlimb suspension. The type I fiber cross-sectional area of both soleus and plantaris muscle was 18.72% and 41.07% lower in the HS than that of the contro\s(p<0.05,p<0.001), that of both muscles was 6.60% and 29. 34% greater in the HS-EX than that of the HS rats. HS plus intermittent low-intensity short duration exercise resulted in Type I fiber cross-sectional area closer to the controls. Type II fiber cross-sectional area of both plantaris and soleus muscle was 22.45% and 22.58% smaller in the HS than in the controls, that of both muschles in the HS-EX was 14.10%, 5.78% greater than HS. Intermittent exercise during hindlimb suspension resulted in Type I, II fiber cross-sectional area closer to the control value. There was no change in SDH activity following lweek of hindlimb suspension or exercise during hindlimb suspension in the plantaris muscle. The results suggest that intermittent low intensity short duration exercise can ameliorate Type II muscular atrophy induced by hindlimb suspension.

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