Effects of Spaceflight, Aging, and Bedrest on Falls

Abstract

With the increasing proportion of older persons globally, healthcare issues are becoming more complex. Older persons often spend substantial time confined to bed, which leads to physiological deconditioning and increased risk of falls. Fall-related injuries lead to higher hospitalization costs and worsening of the quality of life of older persons. Thus, monitoring of falls and reducing the risk of falls is an increasingly important element of geriatric care. Examined in this chapter will be aspects related to falls induced by immobilization (bedrest confinement). Interestingly, spaceflight-induced physiological deconditioning predisposes astronauts to higher risk of orthostatic intolerance and, consequently, falls. Since bedrest confinement is an established model for studying the deconditioning effects of spaceflight, knowledge drawn from bedrest studies can provide insights into the underlying mechanisms leading to falls in astronauts and in bed confined patients and in particular in bed-confined older persons who are typically dealing with the deconditioning effects of aging.