Effects of simulated increases in body weight from birth on the growth of limb bones in rats.

The purpose of this study was to subject groups of newborn male and female Sprague-Dawley rats each to a specific 10% simulated increase in body weight, to a maximum of a doubling of body weight, to study the effects of quantified, increased, intermittent, compressive forces on limb bone growth. Chronic centrifugation was employed. After 90 days of centrifugation the rats were sacrificed. The humerus, radius, ulna, femur, and tibia were removed from each animal, cleared of all soft tissues, measured and weighed. Tukey's Studentized multiple range test was performed to identify aggregations (sets) of force groups between which there are significant differences. The data suggest that newborn male and female rats subjected to simulated increases in body weight, within the range used for this study, undergo enhanced general body growth and limb bone growth.