Periosteal stimulation by artificial tension.

The role of tension in the formation of exostoses in lathyritic rats was studied by applying artificial tension to the tendon of insertion of the adductor longus muscle. Exostoses were formed in the periosteum at the insertion site in rats fed a 50% Lathyrus odoratus diet, given artificial tension and a normal diet, and given artificial tension and a lathyrus diet. The latter were the largest. It is concluded that tension plays an important role in the formation of lathyritic exostoses and that tension alone can cause exostosis formation in the rat.