. 24/7 Space News .
SPACE MEDICINE
Floating in space might be fun, but TBone study shows it's hard on earthly bodies
by Staff Writers
Calgary, Canada (SPX) Jul 01, 2022

melting away in zero g

Ever wondered if you have anything in common with an astronaut? Turns out there are 206 things - your bones. It's these parts of our body that are the focus of a research study on bone loss in astronauts, and the important question of whether bone can be re-gained after returning to Earth.

The TBone study was started in 2015 by Dr. Steven Boyd, PhD, director of the McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health and professor in the Cumming School of Medicine. The study has followed 17 astronauts before and after spaceflight over the last seven years to understand whether bone recovers after 'long-duration' spaceflight. Findings are published in Scientific Reports, and while it might not seem like it matters to you here on Earth, the research is important to better understand bone health generally.

"Bone loss happens in humans-as we age, get injured, or any scenario where we can't move the body, we lose bone," says Dr. Leigh Gabel, PhD, assistant professor in Kinesiology, and lead author of the study.

"Understanding what happens to astronauts and how they recover is incredibly rare. It lets us look at the processes happening in the body in such a short time frame. We would have to follow someone for decades on Earth to see the same amount of bone loss," Gabel says.

The researchers travelled to Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas to scan the wrists and ankles of the astronauts before they left for space, on their return to Earth, and then at six- and 12-months.

"We found that weight-bearing bones only partially recovered in most astronauts one year after spaceflight," she says. "This suggests the permanent bone loss due to spaceflight is about the same as a decade worth of age-related bone loss on Earth."

This loss happens because bones that would normally be weight-bearing on Earth, like your legs, don't have to carry weight in microgravity-you just float.

"We've seen astronauts who had trouble walking due to weakness and lack of balance after returning from spaceflight, to others who cheerfully road their bike on Johnson Space Center campus to meet us for a study visit. There is quite a variety of response among astronauts when they return to Earth, says Boyd.

Former UCalgary Chancellor and astronaut, Dr. Robert Thirsk, BSc (Eng)'76, Hon. LLD'09, MD, knows firsthand how bizarre the return to Earth can be. "Just as the body must adapt to spaceflight at the start of a mission, it must also readapt back to Earth's gravity field at the end," says Thirsk. "Fatigue, light-headedness, and imbalance were immediate challenges for me on my return. Bones and muscles take the longest to recover following spaceflight. But within a day of landing, I felt comfortable again as an Earthling."

Some astronauts who flew on shorter missions, under six months, recovered bone strength and density in the lower body, compared to those who flew for longer durations.

Access to astronauts is rare-the study team includes two members from the European Space Agency (ESA), Dr. Anna-Maria Liphardt, PhD, and Martina Heer, PhD, as well as two from NASA, Dr. Scott Smith, PhD, and Dr. Jean Sibonga, PhD. The study was funded by the Canadian Space Agency and conducted in partnership with ESA, NASA and astronauts from North America, Europe, and Asia.

As future space missions are exploring travel to more distant locations, the study's next iteration will explore the effects of even longer trips, to support astronauts who may one day travel beyond the International Space Station.

As Thirsk says, "Astronauts will venture to deep space this decade and, in the coming centuries, humanity will populate other star systems. Let's push back the frontiers of space exploration now to make this vision possible."

Research Report:"Incomplete recovery of bone strength and trabecular microarchitecture at the distal tibia 1 year after return from long duration spaceflight"


Related Links
University of Calgary
Space Medicine Technology and Systems


Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly


paypal only
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal


SPACE MEDICINE
The path of most resistance could help limit bone loss during spaceflight
Calgary, Canada (SPX) Jul 01, 2022
Astronauts that have returned after spaceflights over three months may show signs of incomplete bone recovery even after one year on Earth, but adding in more resistance-based exercises during spaceflight may help limit bone loss. The small study, published in Scientific Reports, on 17 international astronauts found that while the shinbone partially recovers, the sustained bone losses after one year are equivalent to ten years of normal age-related bone loss on Earth. Steven Boyd and colleag ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

SPACE MEDICINE
NASA program brings big benefits to Big Ten School

Rocket Lab's Lunar Photon completes 6th orbital raise preps for final Earth-escape burn

Rocket Lab's Lunar Photon completes 3rd orbit raising maneuver for CAPSTONE Moon mission

How scientist proposed a novel Kalman filter for target tracking in space

SPACE MEDICINE
Virgin Orbit launches 'Straight Up' mission for US Space Force

Relativity and Oneweb sign multi-launch agreement for Terran R

NASA, SpaceX target new launch date for commercial cargo mission

Virgin Orbit mission success brings UK launch another step closer

SPACE MEDICINE
Eyeing Kukenan - Sols 3519-3524

My Favorite Martian Image: 'Enchanted' Rocks at Jezero Crater

Historic Mars mission completes all preset tasks

Help NASA scientists find clouds on Mars

SPACE MEDICINE
Shenzhou XIII astronauts doing well after returning to Earth

Chinese official says its Mars sample mission will beat NASA back to Earth

China's deep space exploration laboratory starts operation

Shenzhou XIV taikonauts to conduct 24 medical experiments in space

SPACE MEDICINE
SatixFy Technology enables first 5G link through a LEO constellation

SES-22 set to launch on Falcon 9 June 29

Inmarsat report calls for enhanced debris mitigation and stronger regulations in space

Beyond Gravity launches its own start-up program "Launchpad"

SPACE MEDICINE
Turion Space and Exolaunch announce launch agreement for DROID 001 aboard Falcon 9

Sidus Space marks successful space-qualification of Dhruva space's satellite orbital deployer

ICEYE expands its business to offer complete satellite missions for customers

Automation and advanced materials are the "dream team"

SPACE MEDICINE
AI experts called on to join the hunt for exoplanets

Life in the Earth's interior as productive as in some ocean waters

Long-term liquid water also on non-Earth-like planets

Ancient microbes may help us find extraterrestrial life forms

SPACE MEDICINE
You can help scientists study the atmosphere on Jupiter

SwRI scientists identify a possible source for Charon's red cap

NASA's Europa Clipper Mission Completes Main Body of the Spacecraft

Gemini North Telescope Helps Explain Why Uranus and Neptune Are Different Colors









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.