Abstract
The extreme environment of reduced gravity and radiation exposure are among the main reasons for scientists’ concern for the harmful consequences to the body, either due to the decrease or absence of axial load acting on the body, and cellular mutations resulting from radiation exposure. Planning human-crewed missions to other planets are essential in the long run for our civilizations’ perpetuation, being the first step to conquer space. Several factors make such a mission highly complex and challenging to execute, from the long period in which astronauts will be exposed to the microgravity environment to the logistical engineering and life support factors needed. In this sense, a greater understanding of the effects of the microgravity environment on the human organism and the development of new methods of countermeasures are essential to achieve these objectives. This chapter aims to address the functional and neuromuscular aspects of astronauts during and after space flights. Even considering the training and qualification programs, complications and adverse effects on the human body occurs, regardless of the countermeasure methods currently used. Research in Aerospace Medicine helps understand the mechanisms involved in these adaptations and readaptations during the exit and reentry of the astronauts in a terrestrial environment, and the effects caused by the exposure of humans to a microgravity environment. Exercise as a countermeasure method has also been carried out in a very empirical way, in trial and error, as was the area of physical and sports training in general.
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Porto, F., Gurgel, J.L. (2021). Functional and Neuromuscular Aspects of Spaceflight. In: Pathak, Y., Araújo dos Santos, M., Zea, L. (eds) Handbook of Space Pharmaceuticals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50909-9_38-1
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