42 mice were allowed to acclimatise for two weeks prior to study commencement, during this time they had free access to a standard rodent chow (Teklad) and to drinking water.
In order to precondition the test sites and to keep topical treatments constant for all test subjects, volunteers were required to abstain from using deodorant soaps, moisturizing soaps, or cosmetic moisturizers on the test area for a period of 7 days prior to study commencement and during the course of the study.
Fall rates (falls per month) were analyzed for three periods; 1) 6 months retrospectively to study commencement, 2) 3 months during the study, 3) 12 months following training ending.
In addition to the outcome data we also collected previously unreported information from the subgroup of women who had been pregnant prior to study commencement and conceived during the trial period.
Participants who had visited or resided at altitudes in excess of 1000 m [ 3] or climates with ambient temperatures in excess of 30°C [ 23, 24] or had experienced high pressure environments, for example, hyperbaria, within the three months prior to study commencement were excluded during recruitment due to the possible influence of such environments on basal HSP72 expression.
Main Outcome Measures: Passive torque-angle curves for both ankles were obtained at study commencement, then at weeks 2, 4, and 5 (ie, during, at the end of, and 1 week after the stretching program).
Six subjects withdrew before study commencement due to work or family commitments.
Written informed consent was obtained from each participant prior to study commencement.
Of note, 12 (85.7 %) participants had completed an advanced US course prior to study commencement.
A written informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to study commencement.
No STPs and cigarette were used with one hour prior to study commencement.
