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Medical physics

Medical physics

Take off for partial gravity rehabilitation project

10 Jan 2019 Tami Freeman
Bath-ESA project
A participant in the University of Bath--ESA project tries out the computer simulation modelling. The research team -- James Cowburn, Aki Salo, Dario Cazzola and Steffi Colyer -- are seen on the left. (Courtesy: University of Bath/Nic Delves Broughton)

A joint project between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the University of Bath will use computer simulations and anti-gravity devices to assess the movement forces on human lower limbs in low-gravity settings. The findings will inform the ESA in developing exercise countermeasures for astronauts. The study will also help improve and refine rehabilitation programmes for patients recovering after a sustained period of bed rest, following surgery or orthopaedic injuries, for example.

“People who go through a period of unloading of the leg from to bed rest due to surgery or, in extreme cases, astronauts who have been to the International Space Station, [afterwards] their body is no longer fit to function for normal life,” explains James Cowburn, whose PhD is funded by the programme. “It’s important to understand how we can rehabilitate those people optimally so they can transition back into their normal life.”

ESA has a long-term interest in human missions to the Moon, both to explore the surface itself and as an operational testbed for future planetary explorations to Mars and beyond. To date, however, little is known about the physiological and biomechanical effects of life in low gravity and whether Lunar (0.16G) and Martian (0.38G) gravity is sufficient to maintain the long-term integrity of important physiological systems, such as muscles, bones and the cardiovascular system.

The newly launched project aims to estimate the forces experienced internally by lower limbs when the body is subject to different gravity environments. Specifically, it will map the variation in external loads, muscle strength and the reduced gravity effect to see how these interact when it comes to different forms of human locomotion. “This is a particularly exciting project to be involved in, with the potential for really significant impact in the years to come,” says Cowburn.

The project will be overseen by Aki Salo, Dario Cazzola and Steffi Colyer from the University’s Department for Health. “Anti-gravity devices are used by endurance runners and people in rehabilitation after lower limb injuries. We need to understand better how much strain can be reduced by these devices and what rate the load can be increased during the rehabilitation,” explains Salo.

“To better understand the effects of the space environment on human physiology and the challenges that ESA astronauts are likely to face during future exploration missions, we are actively engaging with academic institutions from across ESA’s Member States,” adds Jon Scott,  Medical Projects Team Lead at the ESA’s Space Medicine Office. “We look forward to a productive co-operation with the University and are confident that the findings generated by the project will make a significant contribution to both terrestrial rehabilitation and human spaceflight knowledge.”

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