Muscle fibers length changes during fixation: A cadaveric study

When ever the properties of the biological tissue are studied, the work often has to be carried out on tissue that has been preserved in some way. It is quite possible that a major change in muscle length may have taken place during fixation. There appears to be no documentation as to how much, if any, muscle shrinkage occurs when cadavers are fixed in embalming fluid.

Following muscles where dissected from the fresh cadaver came for the donation of the body to the anatomy department of Government Medical College, Miraj. Gastronomius, soleus, Tibialis anterior, extensor digitorum longus, extensor hallucis longus, peroneus longus. The lengths of the contractile portion of the muscles were measured

By applying the “t” test there is a significant decrease in muscle length if the muscles are fixed off the skeleton. (P (t>2.527 with 7 D.F.) < 0.026), with the mean shorting of 1.05%. If the muscles are fixed on the skeleton the muscle shrinkage is not significant.

So it is reasonable to assume that when human muscles are fixed on the skeleton, no significant loss of the length occurs. Since all human cadaveric tissue is fixed whilst on the skeleton, we may assume that shrinkage of the muscle in such specimens is negligible.