The purpose of this study was to document the recovery of isometric contractile function following tourniquet ischemia. Male Wistar rats (N = 27) were subjected to unilateral hindlimb tourniquet ischemia of 0 hr (control, N = 6), 1 hr (N = 5), 2 hr (N = 5), 3 hr (N = 5) and 4 hr (N = 3). Following a 2-week recovery period, isometric force measurements were made from both gastrocnemii of each rat with the contralateral limb acting as the control side. Each muscle was analyzed for maximal twitch (Pt, N/g), maximal rate of rise of twitch tension (DP/dt, N/sec), time to peak tension (TPT, msec), half relaxation time (RT 1/2, msec), maximal tetanus (P0, N/g, at 100 Hz), and fatigue (Burke Fatigue Protocol). Pt, P0, and DP/dt were significantly different from control values (P less than 0.05) for all hours of tourniquet ischemia. A strong negative correlation (P less than 0.001) was found for twitch (R = -0.84), tetanus (R = -0.78), and maximal rate of force development (R = -0.83) with respect to increasing hours of ischemia. The recovery of isometric twitch and tetanic function following tourniquet ischemia is inversely related to the ischemic interval. This study quantified the relationship between muscle ischemia and recovery of function following a 2-week interval and stresses the functional physiological changes which occur in skeletal muscle following tourniquet ischemia.