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Parallels between astronauts and terrestrial patients – taking physiotherapy rehabilitation “To infinity and beyond”

Parallels between astronauts and terrestrial patients – taking physiotherapy rehabilitation “To infinity and beyond”
Parallels between astronauts and terrestrial patients – taking physiotherapy rehabilitation “To infinity and beyond”
Exposure to the microgravity environment induces physiological changes in the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and sensorimotor systems in healthy astronauts. As space agencies prepare for extended duration missions, it is difficult to predict the extent of the effects that prolonged exposure to microgravity will have on astronauts. Prolonged bed rest is a model used by space agencies to simulate the effects of spaceflight on the human body, and bed rest studies have provided some insights into the effects of immobilisation and inactivity. Whilst microgravity exposure is confined to a relatively small population, on return to Earth, the physiological changes seen in astronauts parallel many changes routinely seen by physiotherapists on Earth in people with low back pain (LBP), muscle wasting diseases, exposure to prolonged bed rest, elite athletes and critically ill patients in intensive care. The medical operations team at the European Space Agency are currently involved in preparing astronauts for spaceflight, advising on exercises whilst astronauts are on the International Space Station, and reconditioning astronauts following their return. There are a number of parallels between this role and contemporary roles performed by physiotherapists working with elite athletes and muscle wasting conditions. This clinical commentary will draw parallels between changes which occur to the neuromuscular system in the absence of gravity and conditions which occur on Earth. Implications for physiotherapy management of astronauts and terrestrial patients will be discussed.
2468-7812
S32-S37
Hides, Julia
cc4ce702-035d-455a-a456-55e8130391c5
Lambrecht, Gunda
253d234e-e506-43e9-9ad5-4ac339d4153a
Ramdharry, Gita
73e2529e-d87e-4894-9df7-3ec5e6578736
Cusack, Rebecca
dfb1595f-2792-4f76-ac6d-da027cf40146
Bloomberg, Jacob
d38638c2-5673-4805-a84c-43dd32966a05
Stokes, Maria
71730503-70ce-4e67-b7ea-a3e54579717f
et al.
Hides, Julia
cc4ce702-035d-455a-a456-55e8130391c5
Lambrecht, Gunda
253d234e-e506-43e9-9ad5-4ac339d4153a
Ramdharry, Gita
73e2529e-d87e-4894-9df7-3ec5e6578736
Cusack, Rebecca
dfb1595f-2792-4f76-ac6d-da027cf40146
Bloomberg, Jacob
d38638c2-5673-4805-a84c-43dd32966a05
Stokes, Maria
71730503-70ce-4e67-b7ea-a3e54579717f

Hides, Julia, Lambrecht, Gunda and Ramdharry, Gita , et al. (2017) Parallels between astronauts and terrestrial patients – taking physiotherapy rehabilitation “To infinity and beyond”. [in special issue: Terrestrial neuro-musculoskeletal rehabilitation and astronaut reconditioning: reciprocal knowledge transfer] Musculoskeletal Science and Practice, 27 (Supplement 1), supplement 1, S32-S37. (doi:10.1016/j.msksp.2016.12.008).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Exposure to the microgravity environment induces physiological changes in the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and sensorimotor systems in healthy astronauts. As space agencies prepare for extended duration missions, it is difficult to predict the extent of the effects that prolonged exposure to microgravity will have on astronauts. Prolonged bed rest is a model used by space agencies to simulate the effects of spaceflight on the human body, and bed rest studies have provided some insights into the effects of immobilisation and inactivity. Whilst microgravity exposure is confined to a relatively small population, on return to Earth, the physiological changes seen in astronauts parallel many changes routinely seen by physiotherapists on Earth in people with low back pain (LBP), muscle wasting diseases, exposure to prolonged bed rest, elite athletes and critically ill patients in intensive care. The medical operations team at the European Space Agency are currently involved in preparing astronauts for spaceflight, advising on exercises whilst astronauts are on the International Space Station, and reconditioning astronauts following their return. There are a number of parallels between this role and contemporary roles performed by physiotherapists working with elite athletes and muscle wasting conditions. This clinical commentary will draw parallels between changes which occur to the neuromuscular system in the absence of gravity and conditions which occur on Earth. Implications for physiotherapy management of astronauts and terrestrial patients will be discussed.

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Parallels between astronauts and terrestrial patients - taking physiotherapy.pdf - Accepted Manuscript
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Accepted/In Press date: 6 November 2016
e-pub ahead of print date: 19 December 2016
Published date: 31 January 2017
Organisations: Faculty of Health Sciences

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 405554
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/405554
ISSN: 2468-7812
PURE UUID: ad551094-cd74-41de-804d-428e379c2a88
ORCID for Rebecca Cusack: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-2863-2870
ORCID for Maria Stokes: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-4204-0890

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Date deposited: 06 Feb 2017 13:50
Last modified: 17 May 2024 04:01

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Contributors

Author: Julia Hides
Author: Gunda Lambrecht
Author: Gita Ramdharry
Author: Rebecca Cusack ORCID iD
Author: Jacob Bloomberg
Author: Maria Stokes ORCID iD
Corporate Author: et al.

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