The study and analysis of human physiology during short- and long-duration space flights are the most valuable approach in order\nto evaluate the effect of microgravity on the human body and to develop possible countermeasures in prevision of future\nexploratory missions and Mars expeditions. Hand performances such as force output and manipulation capacity are\nfundamental for astronautsââ?¬â?¢ intra- and extravehicular activities. Previous studies on upper limb conducted on astronauts during\nshort-term missions (10 days) indicated a temporary partial reduction in the handgrip maximum voluntary contraction (MVC)\nfollowed by a prompt recovery and adaptation to weightlessness during the last days of the mission. In the present study, we\nreport on the ââ?¬Å?Crewââ?¬â?¢s Health: Investigation on Reduced Operabilityââ?¬Â (CHIRO) protocol, developed for handgrip and pinch\nforce investigations, performed during the six months increment 7 and increment 8 (2003-2004) onboard International Space\nStation (ISS). We found that handgrip and pinch force performance are reduced during long-term increments in space and are\nnot followed by adaptation during the mission, as conversely reported during short-term increment experiments. The\napplication of protocols developed in space will be eligible to astronauts during long-term space missions and to patients\naffected by muscle atrophy diseases or nervous system injury on Earth.
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