Item Details

abstract

Crewmembers exposed to microgravity for extended periods of time develop muscle atrophy and associated functional declines that persist while on mission and after return to Earth. While crewmembers undergo demanding strength and conditioning programs designed to minimize the detrimental effects of microgravity on musculoskeletal health, continued physiological deterioration in the lumbar spine increases their risk of structural tissue damage, making them susceptible to postural instability, intervertebral disc herniation, and chronic pain. This study uses previously collected pre-flight and post-flight biomedical images from crewmembers on long-duration International Space Station missions to measure how spaceflight deconditioning affects muscle morphology and composition in the abdomen and lower back, with emphasis on the anti-gravity postural muscles supporting the vertebral column. Collectively, our findings about musculoskeletal change with microgravity will inform the development of improved in-flight countermeasures to protect spinal health, preserve functional performance, and mitigate injury — all of which are critical to successful human exploration beyond low Earth orbit.

subject

astronaut

computed tomography

magnetic resonance imaging

medical imaging

microgravity

muscle atrophy

contributor

Greene, Katelyn Anne (author)

Weaver, Ashley A (committee chair)

Beavers, Kristen M (committee member)

Lenchik, Leon (committee member)

date

2020-08-28T08:35:21Z (accessioned)

2020 (issued)

degree

Biomedical Engineering (discipline)

2025-09-04 (liftdate)

embargo

2025-09-04 (terms)

identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/96937 (uri)

language

en (iso)

publisher

Wake Forest University

title

IMAGE-BASED ANALYSIS REVEALS DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS OF LONG-DURATION SPACEFLIGHT ON MUSCLES OF THE LUMBAR SPINE AND ABDOMINAL WALL

type

Thesis