Development of Countermeasure Gravity Loading Body Gear and its Effects on Cardiovascular and Muscular Systems

Abstract

Gravity supports and facilitates the activity of the cardiovascular and muscular systems newlineof the human body. However, the absence of gravity, i.e., microgravity causes structural and newlinefunctional loss in muscles and bones. Similar ill-effects of microgravity are also observed in newlinepatients who are on prolonged bed rest mainly due to surgery, spinal cord injury or chronic newlinecircumstances such as coma. Exposure to microgravity causes the fluid shift, i.e., accumulation newlineof blood from the lower limb to the head and chest region, and decreases exercise performance, newlineand increases orthostatic intolerance upon reintroduction to gravity. Therefore, switching a newlinesubject from microgravity to gravity results in multi-system failure, i.e., while returning to the newlineEarth surface from space where the human tries to counterpoise the mechanical stress on the newlinebody. newlineFurther, various countermeasures (Pingvin suit, Gravity loading countermeasure suit, newlineDynasuit, Lower body negative pressure etc.) and exercises (squats, treadmill running etc.) newlinehave been designed to cope with the adverse effects of microgravity. The aforementioned suits newlineand exercise protocols offered numerous advantages, but cannot provide the required newlinegravitational loading to overcome cardiovascular and muscular deconditioning completely. newlineMoreover, some bodysuits increase body temperature, bacterial infection of the skin and newlinerequire external power source to work. Thus, there is a wide scope to address these issues by newlinedeveloping inexpensive and power-independent countermeasures that can provide effective newlineloading and speedy recovery from muscle atrophy. newlineThe present study aimed to evaluate the effect of body gear s loading on the newlinecardiovascular and muscular systems for head-down-tilt, squats and stepping manoeuvres. A newlinenovel body gear has been proposed which provides axial loading in the microgravity newlineenvironment. The electrocardiograph (ECG), blood pressure (BP), electromyography (EMG), newlinerespiration, cardiac output (CO) and stroke volume (SV) have been recorded using Biopa