Changes in volume, muscle compartment, and compliance of the lower extremities in man following 30 days of exposure to simulated microgravity.

Abstract

The purpose of these experiments was to test the hypothesis that reduced size of the leg muscle compartment following exposure to long-duration microgravity would be associated with increased leg compliance. Eight men, 31-45 years of age, were measured for vascular compliance of the calf and serial circumferences of the thigh and calf before, during and after 30 d of continuous 6 degrees head-down bedrest. Cross-sectional areas (CSA) of muscle, fat, and bone compartments in the thigh and calf were determined pre- and post-bedrest by computed tomography. Calculated leg volumes decreased (p less than 0.05) in the calf by 9.9% and in the thigh by 4.5% from pre- to post-bedrest. Muscle compartment CSA also decreased (p less than 0.05) in both calf (-4.8%) and thigh (-8.1%); leg compliance (vol%/mm Hg x 100) increased (p less than 0.05) from 3.9 +/- 0.7 to 4.9 +/- 0.5. Calf compliance measured before and after bedrest was inversely related to calf muscle compartment CSA (r = -0.61, p less than 0.05) and the percent decrease in calf muscle compartment CSA from pre- to post-bedrest was inversely correlated with an increase in calf compliance (r = -0.72, p less than 0.05). Increased leg compliance following long-duration spaceflight is associated with reduced size of the leg muscle compartment.