What does this research mean for the field?

Exercise, particularly resistance training, effectively attenuates muscle strength loss and preserves muscle mass during hospitalization and bed rest, but shows no consistent benefits during spaceflight and only modest potential for restoring function when initiated after disuse. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.SYNTHESIS. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to evaluate the impact of exercise on muscle strength and mass during hospitalization and after disuse, especially in spaceflight contexts.

April 17, 2026Open Access

Disuse‐Induced Muscle Atrophy and Muscle Weakness From Hospitalization to Spaceflight: Exercise Succeeds in Prevention and Treatment—A Meta‐Analysis

Key Points

The aim is to evaluate the impact of exercise on muscle strength and mass during hospitalization and after disuse, especially in spaceflight contexts.
Conducted a meta-analysis on existing studies about exercise and muscle atrophy.
Focused on resistance training effects during hospitalization and bed rest.
Analyzed outcomes of exercise both before and after periods of disuse.
Exercise during hospitalization significantly reduces muscle strength loss.
No consistent benefits of exercise observed during spaceflight.
Post-disuse exercise shows modest improvement in restoring muscle function.

Abstract

Exercise, particularly resistance training, attenuates muscle strength loss and preserves muscle mass during hospitalization and bed rest, whereas no consistent benefits are observed during spaceflight. Exercise initiated after disuse shows modest potential for restoring muscle function. Current evidence is insufficient to determine whether preventive or therapeutic initiation provides superior outcomes. Further high-quality randomized controlled trials are required to define the optimal timing, modality and dose of exercise for clinical rehabilitation and aerospace applications.

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Discussion

Authors

Camila S. Padilha

Caique Figueiredo

Rafael Deminice

Journals

Journal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and Muscle

Actions

Institutions

The University of Sydney

University of Technology Sydney

University of Coimbra

References and Citations

Connected Papers

Building similarity graph...

Analyzing shared references across papers

Disuse‐Induced Muscle Atrophy and Muscle Weakness From Hospitalization to Spaceflight: Exercise Succeeds in Prevention and Treatment—A Meta‐Analysis

Key Points

Abstract

Citation Network

Connected Papers

Discussion

Authors

Journals

Actions

Institutions

References and Citations

Citation Network

Connected Papers

Discussion

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