Medical rehabilitation following long-term space missions

The paper presents the theoretical prerequisites and validation of medical rehabilitation of the cosmonauts following space missions developed on the basis of complex experimental studies and space medicine experience. The main phenomenological manifestations of readaptation and the tasks of stepwise recovery are described. Readaptation changes in the body state are considered, on the one hand, as a consequence of the microgravity effect and, on the other hand, as the adaptation manifestations to I g and occuring on the Earth. The principles and approaches to performing the rehabilitative measures, methods, means, dosage and sequence of their applications at early and subsequent stages of readaptation including a sanatorium treatment are presented. An individualization of specific programs of rehabilitative-and-therapeutic measure is of great importance. An effectiveness of medical rehabilitation system now in use and its significance for maintaining the professional longevity of cosmonauts are discussed.