Changes in elemental composition of human muscle fibres following surgery and immobilization. An X-ray microanalytical study.

X-ray microanalysis of single muscle fibres visualized in the electron microscope has been applied to human muscle biopsies to quantify changes of intracellular elements after knee-surgery with subsequent immobilization for 6 weeks. An increase of intracellular chlorine (Cl; P less than 0.001) and of sodium (Na; P less than 0.1) concentrations were found 1 and 6 weeks post-surgery. Intracellular potassium (K), phosphorus and sulphur concentrations were not significantly changed. The increased Cl and Na concentrations may be an indication of a decreased activity of the ATPase-dependent Na/K-pump in the sarcolemma and/or of an increased sarcolemmal permeability for Na and Cl.