08. Upon return do you feel heavy, and is it hard to walk? (A K2S Question)

From The Space Library

The body quickly adapts to the environment, whether it's from one extreme temperature to another, whether it is from a very high altitude to below sea level, or whether it is with the gravity of Earth or approximately zero-gravity. It is obvious that the body has a great capability and ability to adjust to changing situations. On orbit, you become a space person, losing about one gallon of liquid within the body, losing bone mass and experiencing muscle atrophy. This transition and the beginning of the adaptation take about one day. After that, you are a space person, an alien. When you return to Earth, you must adapt to this new environment, and the effects of gravity are a major part of your adjustment. You certainly feel heavy, but you are also unsteady, slightly dehydrated, and somewhat weak. But like entering zero-gravity and adjusting to it, your readjustment to gravity happens quickly.

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Answer provided by Col. USAF (Ret.) Frederick D. Gregory

Question and Answer extracted from the book Kids to Space - by Lonnie Schorer

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