Abstract
Unloaded inactivity induces atrophy and functional deconditioning of skeletal muscle, especially in the lower extremities. Information is scarce, however, regarding the effect of unloaded inactivity on muscle size and function about the hip. Regional bone loss has been demonstrated in hips and knees of elderly orthopaedic patients, as quantified by computerized tomography (CT). This method remains to be validated in healthy individuals rendered inactive, including real or simulated weightlessness. In this study, ten healthy males were subjected to 5 weeks of experimental bedrest and five matched individuals served as ambulatory controls. Maximum voluntary isometric hip and knee extension force were measured using the strain gauge technique. Cross-sectional area (CSA) of hip, thigh and calf muscles, and radiological density (RD) of the proximal tibial bone were measured using CT. Bedrest decreased (P < 0.05) average (SD) muscle strength by 20 (8)% in knee extension, and by 22 (12)% in hip extension. Bedrest induced atrophy (P < 0.05) of extensor muscles in the gluteal region, thigh and calf, ranging from 2 to 12%. Atrophy was more pronounced in the knee extensors [9 (4)%] and ankle plantar flexors [12 (3)%] than in the gluteal extensor muscles [2 (2)%]. Bone density of the proximal tibia decreased (P < 0.05) by 3 (2)% during bedrest. Control subjects did not show any temporal changes in muscle or bone indices (P > 0.05), when examined at similar time intervals. The present findings of a substantial loss in hip extensor strength and a smaller, yet significant atrophy of these muscles, demonstrate that hip muscle deconditioning accompanies losses in thigh and calf muscle mass after bedrest. This suggests that comprehensive quantitative studies on impaired locomotor function after inactivity should include all joints of the lower extremity. Our results also demonstrate that a decreased RD, indicating bone mineral loss, can be shown already after 5 weeks of unloaded bedrest, using a standard CT technique.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adams GR, Hather BM, Dudley GA (1994) Effect of short-term unweighting on human skeletal muscle strength and size. Aviat Space Environ Med 65:1116–1121
Adams GR, Caiozzo VJ, Baldwin KM (2003) Skeletal muscle unweighting: spaceflight and ground-based models. J Appl Physiol 95:2185–2201
Akima H, Kuno S, Suzuki Y, Gunji A, Fukunaga T (1997) Effects of 20 days of bed rest on physiological cross-sectional area of human thigh and leg muscles evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging. J Gravit Physiol 4:S15–S21
Alkner BA, Tesch PA (2004) Knee extensor and plantar flexor muscle size and function following 90 days of bed rest with or without resistance exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 93:294–305
Berg HE (1996) Effects of unloading on skeletal muscle mass and function in man. Thesis Karolinska Institutet, ISBN 91–628–1962–3. Stockholm
Berg HE, Tesch PA (1996) Changes in muscle function in response to 10 days of lower limb unloading in humans. Acta Physiol Scand 157:63–70
Berg HE, Dudley GA, Haggmark T, Ohlsen H, Tesch PA (1991) Effects of lower limb unloading on skeletal muscle mass and function in humans. J Appl Physiol 70:1882–1885
Berg HE, Tedner B, Tesch PA (1993a) Changes in lower limb muscle cross-sectional area and tissue fluid volume after transition from standing to supine. Acta Physiol Scand 148:379–385
Berg HE, Dudley GA, Hather B, Tesch PA (1993b) Work capacity and metabolic and morphologic characteristics of the human quadriceps muscle in response to unloading. Clin Physiol 13:337–347
Berg HE, Larsson L, Tesch PA (1997) Lower limb skeletal muscle function after 6 weeks of bed rest. J Appl Physiol 82:182–188
Berry P, Berry I, Manelfe C (1993) Magnetic resonance imaging evaluation of lower limb muscles during bed rest—a microgravity simulation model. Aviat Space Environ Med 64:212–218
Booth FW, Gollnick PD (1983) Effects of disuse on the structure and function of skeletal muscle. Med Sci Sports Exerc 15:415–420
Dudley GA, Duvoisin MR, Convertino VA, Buchanan P (1989) Alterations of the in vivo torque-velocity relationship of human skeletal muscle following 30 days exposure to simulated microgravity. Aviat Space Environ Med 60:659–663
Dudley GA, Duvoisin MR, Adams GR, Meyer RA, Belew AH, Buchanan P (1992) Adaptations to unilateral lower limb suspension in humans. Aviat Space Environ Med 63:678–683
Ferrando AA, Stuart CA, Brunder DG, Hillman GR (1995) Magnetic resonance imaging quantitation of changes in muscle volume during 7 days of strict bed rest. Aviat Space Environ Med 66:976–981
Gogia P, Schneider VS, LeBlanc AD, Krebs J, Kasson C, Pientok C (1988) Bed rest effect on extremity muscle torque in healthy men. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 69:1030–1032
Hather BM, Adams GR, Tesch PA, Dudley GA (1992) Skeletal muscle responses to lower limb suspension in humans. J Appl Physiol 72:1493–1498
Hikida RS, Gollnick PD, Dudley GA, Convertino VA, Buchanan P (1989) Structural and metabolic characteristics of human skeletal muscle following 30 days of simulated microgravity. Aviat Space Environ Med 60:664–670
Jacobs R, Bobbert MF, van Ingen Schenau GJ (1996) Mechanical output from individual muscles during explosive leg extensions: the role of biarticular muscles. J Biomech 29:513–523
LeBlanc A, Gogia P, Schneider V, Krebs J, Schonfeld E, Evans H (1988) Calf muscle area and strength changes after five weeks of horizontal bed rest. Am J Sports Med 16:624–629
LeBlanc AD, Schneider VS, Evans HJ, Pientok C, Rowe R, Spector E (1992) Regional changes in muscle mass following 17 weeks of bed rest. J Appl Physiol 73:2172–2178
Mekjavic IB, Golja P, Tipton MJ, Eiken O (2005) Human Thermoregulatory function during exercise and immersion after 35 days of horizontal bedrest and recovery. Eur J Appl Physiol 95:163–171
Neander G, von Sivers K, Adolphson P, Dahlborn M, Dalen N (1999) An evaluation of bone loss after total hip arthroplasty for femoral head necrosis after femoral neck fracture: a quantitative CT study in 16 patients. J Arthroplasty 14:64–70
Schulze K, Gallagher P, Trappe S (2002) Resistance training preserves skeletal muscle function during unloading in humans. Med Sci Sports Exerc 34:303–313
Tesch PA, Trieschmann JT, Ekberg A (2004) Hypertrophy of chronically unloaded muscle subjected to resistance exercise. J Appl Physiol 96:1451–1458
Tesch PA, Berg HE, Bring D, Evans HJ, Leblanc AD (2005) Effects of 17-day spaceflight on knee extensor muscle function and size. Eur J Appl Physiol 93:463–468
Trappe TA, Carrithers JA, Ekberg A, Trieschmann J, Tesch PA (2002) The influence of 5 weeks of ULLS and resistance exercise on vastus lateralis and soleus myosin heavy chain distribution. J Gravit Physiol 9:P127–P128
Wretenberg P, Arborelius UP (1994) Power and work produced in different leg muscle groups when rising from a chair. Eur J Appl Physiol 68:413–417
Acknowledgments
The support of the personnel at the Valdoltra Orthopaedic Hospital in Ankaran (Slovenia) is gratefully acknowledged, particularly that of Prim. dr. Vencesalv Pisot (Director) and Mrs. Stanislava Skrabec (Head Nurse). The study was supported, in part, by grants from the Swedish Defence Research Agency, the Slovene Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, Orthopedic Hospital Valdoltra, and the Jozef Stefan Institute to the principal investigators Ola Eiken and Igor B Mekjavic. The authors are particularly grateful to Anders Brumer and Jon-Arne Reitan for their assistance in the data analysis, and for providing physiotherapy during the bedrest portion of the study. Thanks also to Dr. Alan Kacin who assisted with the physiotherapy during the study and supervised the active recovery period.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Berg, H.E., Eiken, O., Miklavcic, L. et al. Hip, thigh and calf muscle atrophy and bone loss after 5-week bedrest inactivity. Eur J Appl Physiol 99, 283–289 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-006-0346-y
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-006-0346-y