Sunita Williams undergoing 45-day rehab program: What does it include?
What's the story
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have returned to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS). They will now undergo a rigorous 45-day rehabilitation program.
The main objective is to help them readjust from microgravity in space to Earth's gravity.
The post-flight reconditioning process starts today and will continue for two hours a day, seven days a week.
It consists of three phases: walking, flexibility, and muscle strengthening; proprioceptive exercise and cardiovascular conditioning; and functional development.
Customization
Astronauts to follow tailored program
The rehabilitation program is tailored to the specific requirements of each astronaut.
Each phase is customized based on the individual test results, the astronauts' preferred recreational activities, and mission roles/duties.
This way, all returning astronauts are guaranteed to be in better shape after the flight.
Experts
ASCR specialists will conduct the rehab
The rehab program will be conducted by the Astronaut Strength, Conditioning and Rehabilitation (ASCR) specialists. They comprise certified athletic trainers, strength and conditioning professionals, and physical therapists. The specialists offer exercise prescription, musculoskeletal care, and post-flight reconditioning, among others.
Achievements
Williams holds record for total spacewalking time
During their recent mission, Williams and Wilmore traveled an impressive 195,289,371km over a span of 286 days. They completed 4,576 orbits around Earth.
With this mission, Sunita Williams has now set a new record for the total spacewalking time by a female astronaut with an impressive 62 hours and six minutes spent outside of the station.
She ranks fourth on the all-time list for spacewalk duration.