| This pic shows orthostatic training, where the cosmonaut's body is trained to adjust quickly to shifts in blood in the body. On Earth, gravity pulls blood towards our feet, and the body counteracts that by pushing the blood back up towards the head. When cosmonauts arrive in space, their body keeps trying to push the blood up even though gravity is no longer pulling the blood down, and the result is a rush of blood to the upper body that can last for several days, or even weeks. This training is supposed to help a little. |
