Abstract Physiological effects and side effects of high thoracic (and lower) neurological dysfunction due to spinal cord injury (SCI) do not lie in contrast with spaceflight opportunities. Indeed, many of the effects of long-term habitation in a microgravity environment by the so far able-bodied pioneers are experienced continuously by those living with physical disability in a +1g environment. Though some of these might make spaceflight more enduring, others may make microgravity habitation, and indeed recovery from it, easier than it is for the able-bodied. Importantly, there is a massive cultural understanding to be gained from the knowledge that it is our own Earth-bound annealed environment that dictates the refinements of physical disability. It is the conclusion and challenge of this short paper that the benefits of exploring microgravity habitation with a physical disability, such as SCI, outweigh the pitfalls, and that not only spaceflight and medical research but also the “human experience” would greatly benefit from exploring this option.
Physical Disability in the Microgravity Environment: Factors for Consideration in the Human Spinal Cord Injury Model
2002-01-01
2 pages
Article/Chapter (Book)
Electronic Resource
English
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