Back Pain in Outer Space

Space travel has grown during the past 2 decades, and is expected to surge in future with establishment of an American Force, businesses specializing commercial space travel, National Aeronautics Administration’s planned sustained presence on moon. Accompanying this rise, treating physicians are bracing for a concomitant increase space-related medical problems, including back pain. Back pain highly prevalent astronauts travelers, most cases being transient self-limiting (space adaptation pain). Pathophysiologic changes that affect spine occur may be attributed microgravity, rapid acceleration deceleration, increased radiation. These include loss spinal curvature, muscle atrophy, higher rate disc herniation, decreased proteoglycan collagen content intervertebral discs, reduction bone density predispose people vertebral endplate fractures. In article, authors discuss epidemiology, pathophysiology, prevention, treatment, research.