MECHANISM OF ACTIVITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF VARIOUS COUNTERMEASURES
INTENDED TO PREVENT DISRUPTIONS TO THE MOTOR APPARATUS IN MICROGRAVITY
(PROFILAKTIKA)
Research Area: Crew Healthcare System
Expedition(s): 4-17
Principal Investigator(s): ● Inessa B. Kozlovskaya, MD, PhD, Institute of Medical and
Biological Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences,
Moscow, Russia
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The Mechanism of Activity and Effectiveness of Various Countermeasures Intended to Prevent
Disruptions to the Motor Apparatus in Microgravity (Profilaktika) investigation is designed to
assess the effectiveness of various physical exercise regimens in maintaining the body's
adaptive capabilities in microgravity through the use of tests based on the use of modern
measurement technologies. Each session of the experiment consists of several tests:
locomotion (on the treadmill), cycle ergometer (on the cycle ergometer), and strength (using
the force loader). During each test, gas analysis and blood analysis are performed, and an EKG
was recorded.
EARTH BENEFITS
The results of the experiment may be used for sports medicine, training civil aviation pilots, and
training people for work in extreme conditions.
SPACE BENEFITS
The countermeasures system for short-
term missions prevents the development of
dehydration, orthostatic instability, physical
deconditioning, and loss of muscular and
vascular tone. If the duration of the flight
extends to several months or a year, the
countermeasures program is aimed at
minimizing the effects of weightlessness
and other detrimental factors, reducing the
medical risk in flight, and easing the process
of readaptation after return to Earth.
Despite the use of countermeasures, during
and after long-term spaceflights various
bodily systems consistently exhibit a
number of changes that are the residual manifestations of the effects of weightlessness. Based
on the experimental data obtained, updates are being performed in the program for training
cosmonauts for long-term spaceflights.
Performing a test on the treadmill. Roscosmos image.