Full-body stress transfer suit

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A garment for use in a low or no gravity environment to maintain bone structure responsive to weight bearing stresses and to minimize the migration of body fluids to the torso.
The garment has members formed from elastic or resilient material which cover the torso and multiple limbs.
Each member interlaces with the member on each side at least once to form a mesh-like structure.
The garment is custom fit to the individual in a first position.
Preferably, the first position is the fetal position which represents the minimal volume for the human frame.
Whenever a part of the body covered by the members is moved from the fetal position, the members covering that part of the body stretch.
The stretched members deliver a physical strain along the long axis of the body and limbs to the underlying bone structure.
The long axis of the body extends along the body from the head to the feet.
The strain from the stretched members must be sufficient to maintain bone structure responsive to weight bearing stresses.
Preferably, the stretched members deliver a physical strain along the long axis of the body and limbs equal to 100% of the individual's body weight.
The garment may also be designed to deliver a physical strain along the short axis of the body which is greater across the torso than the limbs.
The short axis of the body is perpendicular to the long axis.
The short axis physical strain must be sufficient to minimize the migration of body fluids from the limbs to the torso, without restricting normal blood flow.
The present invention may also be used in the treatment of pediatric osteoporosis and juvenile neuropenia.
Pediatric osteoporosis, unlike post-menopausal osteoporosis, is similar to microgravity induced bone loss.
Suits of the same design as will be described herein can be used to apply stress to developing bones.
This stress will cause bone remodeling following Wolff's Law.
Mechanical stress is needed to allow the conversion of osteoblast precursor cells into active bone forming cells