NASA AMES RESEARCH CENTER
Alan R. Hargens, Ph.D., physiologist and Space Station Project Scientist, in developing garments to combat the effects of microgravity in space on astronauts, directed two studies. The results of one study have been published in the Annals of Vascular Surgery, November 1994, entitled, “Intramuscular Pressures Beneath Elastic and Inelastic Leggings”. The studies compared the effects of the non-elastic CircAid Legging and 30-40mm elastic stockings on Intramuscular pressures (IMP) in soleus and tibialis muscles taken by catheter inserted pressure transducers. IMPs, which are more relevant to tissue nutrition and venous return than surface or subcutaneous pressures, taken on 10 healthy subjects, were significantly higher with the non-elastic legging than with elastic stockings. During recumbency, elastic stockings produced high surface compression. The non-elastic legging did not exert such high surface compression, yet effectively generated high IMPs during standing and walking.