• Question: Has anybody broken their spine in space?

    Asked by 546tch48 to Kirsty, Charlie 🚀 on 14 Jun 2016. This question was also asked by 334tch48, 598tch48.
    • Photo: Kirsty Lindsay

      Kirsty Lindsay answered on 14 Jun 2016:

      Thankfully no- some astronauts do get hurt when they are back on earth though.

      There a jelly-like discs between the bones of our spines ( called vertebrae) and in space they fill up with fluid so they are really really full, like a water balloon. Sometimes if an astronaut tries to pick something up the jelly in the disc squirts out and they get a sore back. Fortunately physiotherapy can help squish the jelly back in most of the time so they get better.

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