Question: I contracted polio when I was six months old in Taiwan. I was able to walk without any assistive devices until I was 46 years old, at which point I decided to use a cane. I am now 61 and feel the need to do more to improve my balance and prevent tripping or falling. How do I start …
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Is the Increased Inability to Walk Without a Brace Due to Dependence on the Brace or Increased Age and Post-Polio Issues?
Question: I am 66, had polio in 1951 or ‘52, and to my knowledge the only part of my body impacted was my left leg with paralysis in the quadriceps. I have always been physically active. Even now, I exercise four to five days a week and play golf when weather permits. I wore a brace – KFO – in …
Is the Diagnosis of Lymphedema to be Expected and What Treatment or Medication Protocol Would be Appropriate?
Question: After several weeks when my polio-affected right leg began to swell, beginning at the foot and now up into the knee, a vascular physician diagnosed the condition as lymphedema and referred me to physical therapy. The swelling decreases only slightly after sleeping all night, even with my legs elevated. My ability to exercise (walk) is not practical having great …
Muscle Regeneration in Polio Survivors and Bracing
Question: I am a polio survivor with PPS. Recently I began to suffer severe knee instability, but a sports medicine specialist recommended against braces, saying they would inhibit the muscles from regenerating. It seems to me that polio-atrophied muscles will not regenerate anyway and that braces would at least help to prevent collapse. Your thoughts? Answer: If your knee instability …
What is the Current Thinking on the Use of the Drug Lamotrigine for the Stabilization of PPS?
Question: What is the current thinking on the use of the drug lamotrigine for the stabilization of PPS? Is there data to show it is effective without significant side effects? It has been ordered for me by my neurologist at 100 mg twice daily. I am 81 and reluctant to start this drug as the side effects are very scary, …
Antidepressants’ Potential for Relieving Muscular Pain and Fatigue
Question: Has there ever been a study of whether antidepressants help relieve muscular pain and fatigue? Is it a plausible treatment for people who have had polio? A: There have been studies showing reduction of fatigue and pain (not specifically muscular pain) among depressed patients treated with antidepressant medications, but none considered pain as a “primary treatment outcome.” Depressed mood …