Astronauts can grow up to 3 per cent taller during the time spent living in microgravity, NASA scientists say. That means that a 6-foot-tall person could gain as many as 2 inches while in orbit. While scientists have known for some time that astronauts experience a slight height boost during stays on the International Space Station, NASA is only now starting to use ultrasound technology to see exactly what happens to astronauts’ spines in microgravity. Past studies have shown that when the spine is not exposed to the pull of Earth’s gravity, the vertebra can expand and relax, allowing astronauts to actually grow taller. That small gain is short lived. Once the astronauts return to Earth, their height returns to normal after a few months. Now, astronauts will use a ultrasound device on the station that allows more precise musculoskeletal imaging to scan each other’s backs to see exactly what their spines look like after 30, 90 and 150 days in microgravity. Researchers will see the medical results in real time as the astronaut take turns scanning the spines of their crewmates.
A better understanding of the spine’s elongation in microgravity could help physicians develop more effective rehabilitation techniques to aid astronauts in their return to Earth’s gravity following space station missions.
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