The effect of aerobic training on motor performance, anthropometric indices and growth hormone on male rats exposed to chronic stress

Research has shown that chronic stress disrupts growth and motor performance, so finding methods to modulate the negative effects of stress seem necessary. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of aerobic training on motor performance, growth hormone and anthropometric indices in male rats exposed to chronic stress. In this experimental study, 40 healthy albino-Wistar rats were assigned to four groups by random blocks: control (no stress- no training), stress (stress- no aerobic training), training (training- no stress), training-stress. Stress and training-stress groups were exposed to restraint stress intervention (3 hours per day * 28 days). Training and training-stress groups accomplished aerobic training (30 minutes a day * 28 days) on treadmill. At the end of the fourth week, Open-Field test was performed to measure the motor performance of the rats. Then, animal blood was collected to measure the amount of growth hormone. The results showed that aerobic training improved motor performance, increased growth hormone and leg length growth. stress impaired motor performance, weight and leg length growth. Aerobic training neutralized the effect of stress on leg length growth, but did not eliminate the negative effects of stress on motor performance and weight. There was no significant effect on height and hand length factors. According to the results of this study, aerobic training can be used as an effective factor for the modulation of destructive effects of stress on leg length.