Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36417480›Full record

ArticlePloS one2022

Movement in low gravity environments (MoLo) programme-The MoLo-L.O.O.P. study protocol.

Nolan Herssens, James Cowburn, Kirsten Albracht, Bjoern Braunstein, Dario Cazzola, Steffi Colyer, Alberto E Minetti, Gaspare Pavei, Jörn Rittweger, Tobias Weber and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. A Resistive Soft Robotic Exosuit for Dynamic Body Loading in Hypogravity.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2025
    Trial
  2. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Nolan HerssensSpace Medicine Team, European Astronaut Centre, European Space Agency, Cologne, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-0074-5814
James CowburnDepartment for Health, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom.
Kirsten AlbrachtCentre for Health and Integrative Physiology in Space, German Sport University, Cologne, Germany.
Bjoern BraunsteinCentre for Health and Integrative Physiology in Space, German Sport University, Cologne, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-5173-8916
Dario CazzolaDepartment for Health, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom.
Steffi ColyerDepartment for Health, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom.
Alberto E MinettiLaboratory of Physiomechanics of Locomotion, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Gaspare PaveiLaboratory of Physiomechanics of Locomotion, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-0109-4964
Jörn RittwegerDivision of Muscle and Bone Metabolism, Institute of Aerospace Medicine DLR, Cologne, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-2223-8963
Tobias WeberSpace Medicine Team, European Astronaut Centre, European Space Agency, Cologne, Germany.
David A GreenSpace Medicine Team, European Astronaut Centre, European Space Agency, Cologne, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-8634-8769

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundExposure to prolonged periods in microgravity is associated with deconditioning of the musculoskeletal system due to chronic changes in mechanical stimulation. Given astronauts will operate on the Lunar surface for extended periods of time, it is critical to quantify both external (e.g., ground reaction forces) and internal (e.g., joint reaction forces) loads of relevant movements performed during Lunar missions. Such knowledge is key to predict musculoskeletal deconditioning and determine appropriate exercise countermeasures associated with extended exposure to hypogravity.

objectivesThe aim of this paper is to define an experimental protocol and methodology suitable to estimate in high-fidelity hypogravity conditions the lower limb internal joint reaction forces. State-of-the-art movement kinetics, kinematics, muscle activation and muscle-tendon unit behaviour during locomotor and plyometric movements will be collected and used as inputs (Objective 1), with musculoskeletal modelling and an optimisation framework used to estimate lower limb internal joint loading (Objective 2).

methodsTwenty-six healthy participants will be recruited for this cross-sectional study. Participants will walk, skip and run, at speeds ranging between 0.56-3.6 m/s, and perform plyometric movement trials at each gravity level (1, 0.7, 0.5, 0.38, 0.27 and 0.16g) in a randomized order. Through the collection of state-of-the-art kinetics, kinematics, muscle activation and muscle-tendon behaviour, a musculoskeletal modelling framework will be used to estimate lower limb joint reaction forces via tracking simulations.

conclusionThe results of this study will provide first estimations of internal musculoskeletal loads associated with human movement performed in a range of hypogravity levels. Thus, our unique data will be a key step towards modelling the musculoskeletal deconditioning associated with long term habitation on the Lunar surface, and thereby aiding the design of Lunar exercise countermeasures and mitigation strategies.

Indexed as

MovementWeightlessnessBiomechanical PhenomenaCross-Sectional StudiesHumansHypogravity

Identifiers

PMID36417480
PMCPMC9683620

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.