A trip in space can be a real pain in the back. Literally. Affecting 68% of astronauts, back pain is the most common medical symptom in space. This annoying pain is a result of microgravity on the spine and spinal muscles. Muscle pain in general can occur from various origins, so I created the Physiatry Roller, a compact device that could be easily printed, assembled, and used to relieve muscle pain on a space mission
Based off a massage roller, this device features a rolling cylinder with multiple bumps to soothe aching muscles. On one handle, there is a large ball to also assist in deeper massages. Since problems of the spine can also lead to problems of the nervous system, there is a reflex hammer disk on the other handle to test deep tendon reflexes.
Bringing your own massage roller on a mission can be silly, so this tool can easily be printed in space from the material of old, unusable tools. Depending on the material, the roller can also be heated or cooled for better effect.
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