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Abstract
Background
Exposure to prolonged periods in microgravity is associated with deconditioning of the musculoskeletal system due to chronic changes in mechanical stimulation. Given astronauts will operate on the Lunar surface for extended periods of time, it is critical to quantify both external (e.g., ground reaction forces) and internal (e.g., joint reaction forces) loads of relevant movements performed during Lunar missions. Such knowledge is key to predict musculoskeletal deconditioning and determine appropriate exercise countermeasures associated with extended exposure to hypogravity.
Objectives
The aim of this paper is to define an experimental protocol and methodology suitable to estimate in high-fidelity hypogravity conditions the lower limb internal joint reaction forces. State-of-the-art movement kinetics, kinematics, muscle activation and muscle-tendon unit behaviour during locomotor and plyometric movements will be collected and used as inputs (Objective 1), with musculoskeletal modelling and an optimisation framework used to estimate lower limb internal joint loading (Objective 2).
Methods
Twenty-six healthy participants will be recruited for this cross-sectional study. Participants will walk, skip and run, at speeds ranging between 0.56–3.6 m/s, and perform plyometric movement trials at each gravity level (1, 0.7, 0.5, 0.38, 0.27 and 0.16g) in a randomized order. Through the collection of state-of-the-art kinetics, kinematics, muscle activation and muscle-tendon behaviour, a musculoskeletal modelling framework will be used to estimate lower limb joint reaction forces via tracking simulations.
Conclusion
The results of this study will provide first estimations of internal musculoskeletal loads associated with human movement performed in a range of hypogravity levels. Thus, our unique data will be a key step towards modelling the musculoskeletal deconditioning associated with long term habitation on the Lunar surface, and thereby aiding the design of Lunar exercise countermeasures and mitigation strategies.
Exposure to prolonged periods in microgravity is associated with deconditioning of the musculoskeletal system due to chronic changes in mechanical stimulation. Given astronauts will operate on the Lunar surface for extended periods of time, it is critical to quantify both external (e.g., ground reaction forces) and internal (e.g., joint reaction forces) loads of relevant movements performed during Lunar missions. Such knowledge is key to predict musculoskeletal deconditioning and determine appropriate exercise countermeasures associated with extended exposure to hypogravity.
Objectives
The aim of this paper is to define an experimental protocol and methodology suitable to estimate in high-fidelity hypogravity conditions the lower limb internal joint reaction forces. State-of-the-art movement kinetics, kinematics, muscle activation and muscle-tendon unit behaviour during locomotor and plyometric movements will be collected and used as inputs (Objective 1), with musculoskeletal modelling and an optimisation framework used to estimate lower limb internal joint loading (Objective 2).
Methods
Twenty-six healthy participants will be recruited for this cross-sectional study. Participants will walk, skip and run, at speeds ranging between 0.56–3.6 m/s, and perform plyometric movement trials at each gravity level (1, 0.7, 0.5, 0.38, 0.27 and 0.16g) in a randomized order. Through the collection of state-of-the-art kinetics, kinematics, muscle activation and muscle-tendon behaviour, a musculoskeletal modelling framework will be used to estimate lower limb joint reaction forces via tracking simulations.
Conclusion
The results of this study will provide first estimations of internal musculoskeletal loads associated with human movement performed in a range of hypogravity levels. Thus, our unique data will be a key step towards modelling the musculoskeletal deconditioning associated with long term habitation on the Lunar surface, and thereby aiding the design of Lunar exercise countermeasures and mitigation strategies.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | e0278051 |
| Journal | PLoS ONE |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue number | 11 |
| Early online date | 23 Nov 2022 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 23 Nov 2022 |
Data Availability Statement
All relevant data are within the paper and its Supporting Information filesFunding
This work was supported by the European Space Agency: ESA contract No. 4000123348/18/NL/MH with the University of Bath; ESA contract No. 4000133724/21/NL/AT with the University of Applied Sciences Aachen. The "Locomotion On Other Planets (L.O.O.P.): Hypogravity Analogue" of the University of Milan is supported by the European Space Agency as an ESA ground-based facility through the Continuously Open Research Announcement Opportunity for Ground-Based Facilities (ESACORA-GBF), ESA contract No. 4000137794/22/NL/ PA/pt. This study was funded by CAMERA, the RCUK Centre of the Analysis of Motion, Entertainment Research and Applications, EP/M023281/1. Authors DG and TW are employed by KBR GmbH on behalf of the European Space Agency. The funder KBR GmbH provided support in the form of salaries for the authors DG and TW but did not have any role in the study design, data collection, and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The funders had and will not have a role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| Centre for the Analysis of Motion, Entertainment Research & Applications | EP/M023281/1 |
Keywords
- Space exploration
- Joint load
- Biomechanics
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ESA-CORA-GBF: Estimating lower limb joint internal loading during locomotion and plyometric movement and their relationship to simulated hypogravity: in vivo data to inform in silico analyses
Cazzola, D. (PI), Colyer, S. (CoI) & Cowburn, J. (Researcher)
23/08/21 → 30/09/25
Project: Other