Specifically this process is called disuse atrophy. It is a type of atrophy, a cellular adaptation occurring in response to stress. This cellular adaptation causes protein degradation via ubiquitin proteasome pathway. This is why his calf is smaller than his other normal one.
FA 2020 pg 206 - Cellular Adaptations - Atrophy
submitted by โl0ud_minority(15)
I got this wrong I thought Decreased Myosin Light Chain Phosphatase activity would play a factor from the long leg cast immobilization for 6 months. Not being able to use the leg would cause atrophy. But I was wrong.