Skin self-adaptation to friction trauma under reciprocal sliding conditions

In this study, skin self-rehabilitation and self-adaptation to friction trauma were investigated in vivo by means of friction testing, histological analysis and animal experiments under the simulated prosthetic socket rubbing condition. The denuded dorsal skin of rabbits was used to simulate stump skin. Results showed that after the skin went through several alternations of trauma and rehabilitation process, a keratinization appeared on the skin surface, which decreased the friction coefficient of skin and reduced the skin traumas. These results suggested that during the reciprocal sliding friction process, the rabbit skin suffered from friction trauma, rehabilitation and self-adaptation in turn.