Throughout life, people move in one direction or another on the wellness continuum ranging from maximum performance on one end to serious illness or premature death on the other end. Polio survivors do not need to constantly struggle from one health crisis to the next. While some health problems require professional assistance, others can be controlled by the individual. Once …

Body weight should be kept within the normal range (18.5-24.9) of a body mass index (BMI). Additional weight from excess fat can exacerbate new muscle weakness. Being overweight, defined as a BMI of 25 to 29.9, can aggravate almost all mobility problems. Obesity, defined as a BMI of >30, may seriously interfere with breathing (see Sleep Apnea) and increase the …

New muscle weakness is the hallmark of post-polio syndrome and can significantly impact activities of daily living. Some amount of new muscle weakness is likely to occur in about half of post-polio individuals (Jubelt & Drucker, 1999). Muscle weakness is most likely to occur in muscles previously affected during the acute poliomyelitis followed by a partial or full recovery (Cashman …

The possibility has been raised of post-polio syndrome being caused by a chronic poliovirus infection. Attributing post-polio syndrome to persistent poliovirus or to a reactivation of poliovirus has generally been rejected, based on an analysis of available antibody studies (Jubelt et al., 1995). The significance of poliovirus RNA fragments found in survivors with post-polio syndrome is unknown (Leon-Monzon & Dalakas, 1995). …

There is no cure for polio, but it can be prevented with safe and effective vaccination. Inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) is the only polio vaccine that has been given in the United States (and most developed countries) since 2000. IPV protects against severe disease caused by poliovirus in almost everyone (99 out of 100) who has received all the recommended …

Influenza: Polio survivors, especially those with respiratory insufficiency, are advised to receive an annual influenza (flu) vaccination according to the United States Public Health Service guidelines and recommendations. In addition, starting with the COVID-19 pandemic, periodic COVID vaccines are recommended (frequency likely to change as knowledge about COVID evolves). Pneumococcal: Those with respiratory insufficiency should also receive the pneumococcal vaccine …

New breathing problems in aging polio survivors can be slowly progressive and thus be insidious and often not recognized by either polio survivors or health care professionals. Individuals who used an iron lung, or barely escaped one, during the acute phase should be aware of potential problems to avoid underventilation and possible respiratory failure. Those survivors who did not receive …

Traumatic injuries, such as fractures, joint dislocations, and severe sprains, strains, and bruises, commonly require significant periods of immobilization and rest in order to heal. Deconditioning from bedrest or immobilization is a common phenomenon in neurologically intact individuals. Disuse atrophy of polio-affected muscles immobilized by casts and splints occurs rapidly, with rates of 5-10% loss of strength per day, or …

Noninvasive ventilation is preferred over invasive ventilation, especially for polio survivors who require noncontinuous ventilation, because of ease of administration, preservation of upper airway, lower cost, and quality of life. However, in the case of chronic respiratory insufficiency that cannot be corrected by noninvasive means, a tracheostomy may be the last resort (Make et al., 1998). A tracheotomy is an …

While there is now agreement among researchers that post-polio syndrome results from degenerative changes within motor units, the triggering mechanism(s) for these changes is/are not known. A favored theory to explain their onset is overuse. This theory assumes that the enlarged motor units supplying post-polio muscles cannot maintain the increased metabolic activity needed over many years (see Pathology). These giant …