Agnirva Space Premier League - Expedition #30761: Fighting Dizziness After Spaceflight: How Exercise Keeps Astronauts Balanced
- Agnirva.com
- Aug 1, 2025
- 1 min read
One of the surprising challenges astronauts face upon returning to Earth is difficulty standing up without feeling faint or dizzy. This condition is called orthostatic intolerance, and it happens because microgravity causes the body’s cardiovascular system to decondition. Essentially, the blood doesn’t flow the same way in space, and when astronauts come back to Earth’s gravity, their bodies struggle to adapt.
To tackle this problem, scientist Ferdinando Iellamo and his team at IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana in Rome developed the "Structured Exercise Training as Countermeasure to Space Flight-Induced Orthostatic Intolerance" experiment. This human research study, conducted during ISS Expeditions 43/44, 51/52, and 53/54, focused on whether a specially designed exercise regimen could reduce this risk.
The experiment tested customized exercise protocols using onboard equipment like treadmills, resistance machines, and cycling devices. Astronauts followed structured routines that mimicked Earth-like cardiovascular challenges. By comparing data from astronauts who used the program versus those who didn’t, researchers could see improvements in blood pressure regulation and heart rate recovery.
The outcomes of this study have real-life applications not just for astronauts but also for patients on Earth with conditions that affect blood pressure control. Plus, this research contributes to designing safer, longer space missions, including journeys to Mars, where astronauts will need to stay physically strong and ready to perform after landing on another planet.
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