Experimental evaluation of rigor mortis. IV. Change in strength and evolution of rigor mortis in the case of physical exercise preceding death.

Evolution of rigor mortis in rats exercised before death shows the following characteristics with respect to controls: (1) Its intensity is increased in the initial phase. (2) It reaches its maximum development at the same time. (3) Higher maximum values are reached (in our experiments 1.39 times the maximum values for controls). (4) Higher values are maintained from 100 minutes to 16 hours with statistically significant differences. (5) It attains resolution at the same time.