The magnitude of bone formation and remodeling is linked to both the magnitude of strain placed on the bone and the perfusion of bone. We have previously reported an increase in bone perfusion and bone density that occurs in the femur of old rats with moderate aerobic exercise training. The purpose of this study was to determine the acute and chronic effects of static muscle stretching on bone blood flow and to determine whether chronic stretching affects bone remodeling. Old male Fischer 344 rats were randomized to either a naïve or stretch‐trained group. Static stretching of ankle flexor muscles was achieved by placement of a dorsflexion splint on the left ankle for 30 min/day, 5d/wk for 4wks. The right hindlimb served as a contralateral control (unstretched) limb. Bone blood flow was assessed during and after an acute bout of stretching in naïve rats, and at rest and during exercise in stretch‐trained rats. Following 4 weeks of daily muscle stretching, micro‐CT analysis was used to determine the volume and density of bone and the bone vasculature in the tibia. In naïve rats, placement of the splint increased blood flow to the proximal tibial metaphasis. After 4 weeks of daily stretching, blood flow to the proximal tibial metaphysis was higher in the chronically stretched limb during exercise. Chronic stretching also increased tibial bone weight, and increased total bone volume in both the proximal and distal tibial metaphyses. In trabecular bone immediately below the proximal tibial growth plate, the total volume of bone was increased, but the bone density was not changed. Total intravascular volume also increased in the region of the bone below the growth plate. These data suggest that static muscle stretching increases loading of bone and bone blood flow, leading to bone remodeling and growth which is matched by an increase in bone intravascular volume.Support or Funding InformationNIH R15AG055029This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.