Musculoskeletal Alterations Team Publication List (PDF)

When working on the Space Station or living in the reduced gravity of the moon, astronauts lose bone and muscle from their legs, hips and lower backs due to reduced load-bearing. To put the bone loss in perspective, postmenopausal women who are untreated for bone loss can lose 1-1.5 percent of bone mass in the hip in one year while an astronaut can lose the same amount of hip bone mass in a single month. Loss of musculoskeletal tissue mass and function can cause multiple problems for the crew of long-duration space missions, including reduction in physical performance, increased risk of fall-related injuries and accidents, and potentially, bone fractures.

The Musculoskeletal Alterations Team is studying the mechanisms involved in bone and muscle loss and whether reduced gravity increases risk of bone breaks and impairs fracture healing. In addition to identifying ways to enhance the benefits of exercise for maintenance of musculoskeletal function, the Team also seeks to develop methods to prevent or reduce the loss by considering nutritional and pharmaceutical interventions to complement exercise.

Team Leader:
Thomas F. Lang, Ph.D.
University of California, San Francisco

Associate Team Leader:
Susan A. Bloomfield, Ph.D.
Texas A&M University