ASGSB 1998 Annual Meeting Abstracts

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CONCEPTUAL DESIGN FOR A MICROGRAVITY RESISTANCE TRAINING UNIT: FORCE PACK DEVELOPMENT. T. Ruttley^1, P. Colosky, Jr², and V. Sultive. ¹Biology/Anatomy/Neurobiology and ²Exercise Sport Science, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO

Long-term manned space flight and human habitation in microgravity is an inevitable part of the future of the space program. Obvious physiological problems of microgravity adaptations include muscle atrophy due to disuse, and bone weakness due to calcium loss. While muscles are weakened by the lack of gravity against which to do work, such lack of physical stress also causes bone weakness due to calcium reabsorption. Therefore, it is important that a microgravity exercise resistance-training program be implemented during long-term space flights or habitation in low-gravity. A conceptual design for a constant force resistive exercise unit using either constant torque springs or constant force springs is proposed as a countermeasure for muscle atrophy and bone demineralization in microgravity. The force packs, located within the resistance unit, are designed to allow for a constant force to be applied during isometric, eccentric, and concentric muscle actions. This provides the essential loading requirements for bone and large muscle groups that are weakened in space. The force packs are designed to provide constant force, be lightweight, fully interchangeable, and allow smooth action through entire range of motion.

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