Shared peer advice from polio survivors about what works for them.

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Tips for Physical Therapy Precautions to Aid Post-Surgical Recovery

Brian Tiburzi

QUESTION: I am going to schedule a left-shoulder replacement soon and would like to know if recovery will be more difficult with atrophied left paraspinal muscles. I had polio at eight years of age and was paralyzed from my neck down. I made a remarkable recovery and am now 77 years old. I have never needed mobility aids, but I …

Exercise and Pain

Brian Tiburzi

Question: As a young kid I contracted polio in my right leg. Apparently it was a mild case because I had no noticeable effects until my late 40s or 50s. At that time, I experienced right leg pain if I had not exercised for several days or about a week. If I exercised moderately then I had no pain. If …

Is There Any Therapy or Other Options to Get the Atrophied Leg Warm?

Brian Tiburzi

Question: I had non-paralytic polio in 1949 when I was 2. I now wear two leg braces; one on my polio leg for drop foot and the other one on my left leg because I started dragging that foot. My right leg is always very cold to the touch even though it never feels cold to me unless I touch …

Is There Any Difference in PPS Symptoms in Patients that Contracted the Disease Through the Vaccine Versus Naturally?

Brian Tiburzi

Question: I had polio at age 5 in 1968 apparently contracted from the oral polio vaccine. The acute illness lasted about a month, then a slow recovery ensued (upper and lower right limb involvement) that took about a year. Is there any difference between PPS symptoms in patients who have contracted the disease through vaccine and those who contracted it …

What Types of Exercises Would Benefit, and What to Avoid, for Polio Survivors?

Brian Tiburzi

Question: My husband had polio at age 8. He is now 71. His left leg has started giving out on him and he falls. He goes to a special trainer, but I’m afraid the trainer doesn’t know how to treat this. What type of exercises should benefit him, and what should he avoid? Answer: Your husband’s leg weakness is most …

Do “Cures” for PPS Have Any Beneficial Ingredients that May Help Us?

Brian Tiburzi

Question: I have seen advertisements for products that claim to “cure” PPS. From all I know, there is no cure. Do these products have any beneficial ingredients that may help us? Answer: One must always be skeptical of anything advertised as a “cure” for PPS, because it is a condition that almost certainly has many causes. Most advertised products are …

Can I Regain Some Muscle Mass and Strength Through Exercise?

Brian Tiburzi

Question: I read with great interest the question and answer about knees collapsing in the in the Vol. 26, No. 2 (www.post-polio.org/ edu/pphnews/pph26-2sp10p7.pdf). I had polio at age 1. I’m told that I made a full recovery and that our local doctor used me as an example of a “miraculous” recovery. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, I am …

Has There Been Any Research on the Effects Polio had on the Digestive System?

Brian Tiburzi

Question: Why does no one ever address the problems that polio caused to the digestive system? I had polio when I was 6 years old and have had problems with my digestive system ever since. Has there been any research on the effects polio had on the digestive system? A: While there are many polio survivors who complain of heartburn …

Are Cortisone Injections Advisable for People with Post-Polio Syndrome?

Brian Tiburzi

Question: I am a 68-year-old paralytic polio survivor from the 1955 polio epidemic. I use two leg braces and a variety of assistive devices. My arms were also totally involved but recovered well. My main problem now is increased weakness and pain in my arms as I depend on them more for transfers. My primary care physician recommended using 600 …