抄録
Disuse atrophy in weightless environments such as prolonged spaceflight and bed rest are serious problems which hinder astronauts' or patients' health and reintegration into daily life. We proposed a "hybrid exercise" (HYB) against muscular and bone atrophy by using electrically stimulated muscles to provide resistance to the voluntary motion of a muscle undergoing training. Unilateral lower leg suspension (ULLS) of four weeks was carried out for young males as a simulation model of the weightless environment The HYB for healthy men increased muscle strength and bulk in flexor and extensor around the knee and elbow joints. The HYB for the ULLS group alleviated the atrophied symptom including the loss of the femurs' bone mineral density. Since the HYB requires only surface electrical stimulation on the skin, it can be applied ubiquitously not only to the serious problem but also to the shortage of exercise in daily life.
