Deconditioning is the adaptation of an organism to a less demanding environment, or, alternatively, the decrease of physiological adaptation to normal conditions. Deconditioning can result from decreased
physical activity, prescribed
bed rest,
orthopedic casting,
paralysis, and disability that can accompany aging. A particular interest in the study of deconditioning is in
aerospace medicine, to diagnose, fight, and prevent adverse effects of the conditions of
space flight.
Deconditioning due to decreased physical effort results in muscle loss, including
heart
The heart is a muscular Organ (biology), organ found in humans and other animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels. The heart and blood vessels together make the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrie ...
muscles.
Deconditioning due to lack of gravity or non-standard gravity action (e.g., during
bed rest) results in abnormal distribution of
body fluids
Body fluids, bodily fluids, or biofluids, sometimes body liquids, are liquids within the Body (biology), body of an organism. In lean healthy adult men, the total body water is about 60% (60–67%) of the total Human body weight, body weight; it ...
.
See also
*
Atrophy
*
Effect of spaceflight on the human body
References
Physiology
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