Question: My sister who had polio in 1953 at age 17 was affected from the waist down. She also struggles with bipolar disorder. Last winter she was hospitalized on a behavioral health floor for 44 days. Her crutches were taken away because they were considered weapons. She spent the days in a wheelchair and did not receive any physical therapy. …
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Should My Physical Therapy After Surgery be Specialized to My Condition or is Normal Therapy Okay?
Question: In 1988, I was your patient at the University of Michigan when you diagnosed my post-polio syndrome. I am preparing for a complete knee replacement on my right leg, which is the one affected by polio. My question is: Should my physical therapy after surgery be specialized to my condition or will normal therapy be OK? My surgeon has …
Can a Concussion Cause the Onset of Post-Polio Syndrome?
Question: Can a Grade 3 concussion cause the onset of post-polio syndrome (PPS)? I developed the symptoms during recovery from a concussion and have been diagnosed as having PPS. Answer: Regarding your question about a Grade 3 concussion (the most serious level): After headaches and cognitive problems (poor concentration, attention and memory), fatigue is one of the most common post-concussion …
Timeframe for the Onset of Post-Polio Syndrome; Understanding the Approach of a New Primary Care Doctor
Question: I’ve asked my doctors in the past about PPS, and they indicate that at my age – 65 – it is highly unlikely that I could develop PPS since it has been so many years since I contracted polio. Do you have any statistics on PPS occurring 60 years after having polio? Answer: I am unaware of any statistics …
What is a Polio Doctor?
Question: People in my post-polio support group say I need to see a “polio doctor.” What is a polio doctor? Do you agree that polio survivors must see a physician with such a designation? Do I need my old medical records? Answer: There is no official certification for a “polio doctor.” I believe the most common use of this informal …
Electrical Stimulation in Treating Polio Survivors
Question: I had polio in May 1951 at the age of eleven months. I used long leg braces and crutches to ambulate. I started experiencing fatigue and muscle pain in my shoulders and lower back when I was about 50 years old. I started using a scooter occasionally and gradually transitioned to a power wheelchair full-time when I started having …
Is it Possible for Post-Polio Syndrome to be Causing Shortness of Breath?
Question: I am 83 and had polio when I was 6, affecting my right leg. I received the Sister Kenny treatment in St Michael’s Hospital in Newark, NJ in the spring of 1942. My leg is 1/2 inch shorter and one of my quad muscles and my calf atrophied. I have led a pretty normal life with one weak leg. …
Is There a Way to Differentiate Between Post-Polio Weakness and Normal Aging Weakness?
Question: I read about muscle wasting in people who age (sarcopenia) in the syndicated column of “Dr. Donohue.” As a 78-year-old polio survivor who is getting weaker, I am not sure if it is post-polio weakness or aging weakness. Is there a way to tell the difference? Does it matter? Are the management recommendations different for each cause? Answer: Sarcopenia …
Facing Guilt Regarding Caregiving Adjustments
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 …
AFM (acute flaccid myelitis) and Polio Survivors
Question: There have recently been several media reports about Americans developing a “polio-like illness” known as Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) that leaves them partially paralyzed. Because PHI has received many calls from members about this topic, Dr. Fred Maynard was asked to write about what AFM is and to share his thoughts about how polio survivors might be able to …