Deconditioning

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.^[1][2] 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 muscles.

Deconditioning due to lack of gravity or non-standard gravity action (e.g., during bed rest) results in abnormal distribution of body fluids.^[3]

Deconditioning as a syndrome has historically been associated with a number of medical disorders, including the chronic fatigue syndrome,^[4] though whether it plays any role in the latter is highly controversial.^[5][6][7]

1. ^ McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology
2. ^ Lenz, Thomas L. (2007). Lifestyle Modifications in Pharmacotherapy. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p. 298. ISBN 978-0-7817-7651-6.
3. ^ Woods, Susan L.; Erika Sivarajan Froelicher; Sandra Adams Motzer (2004). Cardiac Nursing. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p. 921. ISBN 0-7817-4718-X. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
4. ^ De Lorenzo, F.; Xiao, H.; Mukherjee, M.; Harcup, J.; Suleiman, S.; Kadziola, Z.; Kakkar, V. V. (July 1998). "Chronic fatigue syndrome: physical and cardiovascular deconditioning". QJM: Monthly Journal of the Association of Physicians. 91 (7): 475–481. doi:10.1093/qjmed/91.7.475. ISSN 1460-2725. PMID 9797930.
5. ^ Bazelmans, E.; Bleijenberg, G.; Van Der Meer, J. W.; Folgering, H. (January 2001). "Is physical deconditioning a perpetuating factor in chronic fatigue syndrome? A controlled study on maximal exercise performance and relations with fatigue, impairment and physical activity". Psychological Medicine. 31 (1): 107–114. doi:10.1017/s0033291799003189. ISSN 0033-2917. PMID 11200949.
6. ^ Wilshire, Carolyn E.; Kindlon, Tom; Courtney, Robert; Matthees, Alem; Tuller, David; Geraghty, Keith; Levin, Bruce (2018-03-22). "Rethinking the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome-a reanalysis and evaluation of findings from a recent major trial of graded exercise and CBT". BMC Psychology. 6 (1): 6. doi:10.1186/s40359-018-0218-3. ISSN 2050-7283. PMC 5863477. PMID 29562932.
7. ^ "Deconditioning". MEpedia. Retrieved 2025-07-31.

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