Question: I’m a 69-year-old male who contracted polio in the early 1950s. My right arm was totally paralyzed from contracting polio. I was diagnosed with PPS about nine years ago. During the diagnosis, I was told that my left arm had serious muscle weakness. At the time, the doctor said my deltoid muscle was roughly 40%. When my primary doctor …
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Is It Safe for a Polio Survivor with Breathing Problems to Have a Heart Stress Test?
Question: I am going to have a heart stress test. Is it dangerous for a 72-year-old polio survivor who has some breathing problems to do so? Dr. Maynard: A Stress Test does involve some risks, but they are minimized by medical professionals trained and equipped to handle cardiac arrests and arrhythmia should they occur. I am unaware of evidence to …
Could Continuing New Muscle Pains After COVID-19 Infection Be Associated with Post-Polio?
Question: I am a polio survivor, age 76, in good health, active, and still working as an RN (not in hospital). I suspect I might have had COVID-19 in late January, with mild symptoms lasting only a few days—no fever but felt weak, fatigued, had a mild sore throat and a dry cough at the end. I was surprised since …
Recovery after Breaking Femur and Patella
Question: I fell nine weeks ago, breaking my distal femur and patella and spraining my distal ACL. A physical therapist comes to my home every week. X-rays show my bones are healing well. This week I’m working on starting to walk stairs, but it’s extremely difficult because of my kneecap. I believe the PT is being cautious, knowing about my …
Stiff Neck and Back Problems Leading to Pain and Weakness in Arms and Shoulders
Question: I was diagnosed with a mild case of polio in 1952 when 12 years old. The polio affected my neck and upper back, and both recovered to the point where I didn’t have any visible physical problems. Over the years I have encountered a lot of stiff neck and back problems and was treated at pain management facilities. The …
Managing Fatigue and Poor Balance
Question: I am now age 89 and am plagued by extreme tiredness with sleepiness/drowsiness and terrible balance issues. My history includes a triple arthrodesis of the right ankle with a tendon transfer. My polio in 1947 was treated with the Sister Kenny Treatment—can still smell the hot, steamy wool blankets. I try to do some mostly stretching exercises and wonder …
Advice for Arm and Shoulder Weakness
Question: I had polio at age 5 and am now 76. I have weakness in all four limbs. My legs have been week for a long time while my arms and shoulders started getting weaker 2-3 years ago. I cannot lift my left arm past my shoulder. My right arm is better but not good. The PT here at the …
Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy and Post-Polio Syndrome
Question: In cervical spondylotic myelopathy there may be muscle weakness in lower limbs and gait disturbance, so it may be confused with a post-polio syndrome in a person who has had polio. Is there some information regarding the prevalence of this pathology in elderly patients who have had polio and how to diagnose correctly and not attribute the new weakness …
Is There a Connection Between Post-Polio Syndrome and Parkinson’s Disease?
Question: About a year ago, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Then recently, when providing medical history to a new eye doctor and reporting that I had polio as a child, I learned from him that he and a colleague authored a letter which was published in NEJM (New England Journal of Medicine) about polio and PD. My father …
Any Gains in Muscle Strength when Using an FES (Functional Electric Stimulation) Bike?
Question: I contracted polio at 10 months old in 1953 and it affected my left leg (knee down) and right foot. It’s been recommended to me recently to try using an FES Bike with the goal of strengthening my upper leg muscles. Has anyone experienced a gain in muscle strength after using such a machine? I am luckily blessed with …