The human body in a microgravity environment: long term adaptations and countermeasures
Keywords:
Microgravity, GLCS, exercise, space.Abstract
Gravity has had a profound effect on human evolutionary development, shaping not only its mechanical dynamics but also its supporting mechanisms, including the cardiovascular, neural and musculoskeletal systems, which on exposure to microgravity undergo considerable adaptations, resulting in decreased bone, muscle and cardiac mass. Providing nominal countermeasures against the effects of microgravity is an on-going priority that requires an amalgamation of countermeasures, including exercise, centrifuges and loading suits. Suit technology, due to its low cost and mass has received increasing interest. The gravity loading countermeasure skinsuit (GLCS), utilises a bidirectional weave to create material strain that loads cumulatively towards the legs. Several components of current and future GLCS research are discussed in this paper. Recommendations for future research exploring long term use and potential transferable terrestrial benefits are explored.
..................................................................................................
O corpo humano em ambiente de microgravidade: adaptações à exposição de longo prazo e contramedidas
RESUMO: A gravidade tem tido um profundo efeito no desenvolvimento evolucionário humano, moldando sua anatomia e fisiologia. Dessa forma, os sistemas corporais, quando expostos à microgravidade, passam por adaptações consideráveis, como redução da massa osteomuscular e alterações na fisiologia cardiovascular. Proporcionar medidas específicas contra os efeitos da microgravidade é uma prioridade atual, que requer um somatório de ações, como exercícios físicos diários, centrifugação e o uso de trajes especiais. O traje de contramedida por recarga da gravidade (GLCS) utiliza uma costura bidirecional que cria uma deformação no material, a qual gera uma carga que se acumula, progressivamente, em direção aos pés. Esses trajes vêm ganhando especial interesse por serem de baixo custo e de fácil utilização, bem como por possuírem uma massa pequena, que facilita seu transporte e armazenamento. Diversos aspectos dos estudos realizados com o GLCS são discutidos neste artigo. Recomendações para pesquisas futuras sobre os efeitos do uso crônico do GLCS na microgravidade e de sua potencial transferência para utilização em condições terrestres também é apresentada.
..................................................................................................
PALAVRAS- CHAVE:
Microgravidade, GLCS, exercício, espaço.Downloads
Issue
Section
License
COPYRIGHT
The submission of originals to Aviation in Focus implies the transfer by the authors of the right for publication. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication. If the authors wish to include the same data into another publication, they must cite Aviation in Focus as the site of original publication.
CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE
As this journal is open access, the articles are allowed free use in scientific and educational applications, with citation of the source.
According to the type of Creative Commons License (CC-BY 4.0) adopted by Aviation in Focus, the user must respect the requirements below.
You are free to:
Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format.
Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
However, only under the following terms:
Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests Aviation in Focus endorses you or your use.
No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
Notices:
You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation.
No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material.
For more details on the Creative Commons license, please follow the link in the footer of this website.
