Scientists at our University, who are pioneering the first study of the effect of space flight on human muscle tone, have held their first live video link with the International Space Station (ISS).
The Myotones Project aims to document the changes that occur in astronauts’ muscles during their six-month stay on the ISS.
Loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength is a well-known side-effect of space travel, despite intensive daily exercise. Until now, the ability to test muscles during an actual mission had been limited by lack of appropriate equipment. The Myotones Project uses recently developed compact technology that enables direct non-invasive testing of muscles in a confined and weightless (microgravity) environment.
Four physiotherapy students, Jonathan Bridgeman, Richard Hargrave, Charlotte Martinelli, and Kathleen Tollerfield, who recently graduated from our University contributed to the project by testing technical aspects of the testing protocol as part of their degrees, supervised by Simon Brown and Professor Stokes.
Jonathan said:
“Having been involved in the last two years of my degree as part of my dissertation, it was really exciting to work as part of such a unique project.”
During the team’s live link up with the ISS, they held a data collection session and guided the astronauts in performing measurements they will be making on their muscles over the next six months.
The project findings will not only help astronauts on future space missions to deal with the loss of muscle, but will also benefit people on Earth by feeding back into research around muscle-wasting conditions.
Understanding more about what happens to muscles in weightlessness will give insights to help find the most effective ways of reducing and reversing the effects of disuse in astronauts or pathology in patients. The lessons learnt will help develop effective exercise programmes for people on Earth living with musculoskeletal and neurological disorders, as well as help reduce the effects of ageing.
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