How astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is relearning to walk
What's the story
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who recently returned from a nearly 20-day stay in microgravity on the International Space Station (ISS), is now in recovery and readjusting to life on Earth. A video posted by Shukla shows him relearning how to walk with two people supporting him as he takes slow, steady steps. This is a common occurrence after space travel due to temporary changes in the body during such journeys.
Space mission
Shukla was part of Axiom-4 mission
Shukla was part of the Axiom-4 mission, which launched on June 25 aboard SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft. He is the second Indian to go to space after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma in 1984. In his Instagram post, Shukla thanked everyone for their well wishes and provided an update on his recovery process after returning from the ISS.
Body adaptation
Recovery process begins immediately after landing
Shukla explained that space travel affects the body in many ways, including fluid shifts, heart rate changes, and decreased balance and muscle strength. He said these are adaptations to a new environment, which reverse once we return to gravity. The recovery period varies for each astronaut but the body starts adapting soon after landing.
Recovery challenges
What are the issues?
Fluid shifts are a major reason why astronauts find it hard to walk after returning from space. In microgravity, fluids move toward upper body, causing a sudden drop in blood pressure when they stand up on returning to Earth. This can make them feel dizzy as their body takes time to relearn how to regulate blood flow under gravity. Balance is also affected as the inner ear adapts to zero gravity, making movements clumsy until the brain readjusts signals correctly.
Process
Rehabilitation process for astronauts
To recover from microgravity's effects and readjust to Earth's gravity, astronauts undergo careful rehabilitation. They participate in physical therapy sessions to rebuild their muscle strength and bone density, lost during their time in space. Balance training is also done to help the vestibular system readjust to Earth's environment. As space travel significantly impacts cardiovascular health, astronauts gradually resume physical activity to normalize blood circulation levels.