Use this form to send us your feedback. In fact, exercise is the only countermeasure that can potentially counteract the combined cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and neuromuscular effects of adaptation. One of the ways the human body reacts to the reduced physiological and mechanical demands of micro-gravity is by a deconditioning of the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and neuromuscular systems. Deconditioning produces a multitude of physical changes such as loss of muscle mass, decreases in bone density and body calcium. It is also responsible for decreased muscle performance, strength and endurance, orthostatic intolerance, and overall decreases in aerobic and anaerobic fitness.
Extravehicular activity is the most physically demanding task that astronauts perform on-orbit.
Space Station Freedom and manned Lunar and Mars missions will greatly increase the number, frequency, and complexity of EVA's within the next 10 to 20 years. The purpose of our biomechanical analysis in space is to provide a program of exercise countermeasures that will minimize the operational consequences of microgravity-induced deconditioning by providing individualized exercise 'prescriptions' for each crew member. Task requirements have been defined in terms of the musculoskeletal and neuromuscular system demands induced by microgravity, and training protocols developed to address deconditioning in these systems to serve as the basis for training prescriptions. To achieve these training protocols it was necessary to develop flight exercise hardware and associated software related to biomechanical measurement devices. Next, an exercise dynamometer had to be designed for exercise purposes that could also analyse muscle functions and efficiencies.