Occupational therapy (OT) provides purposeful activities or interventions in order to promote function, health, and wellness and to prevent further injury or disability. The goal is to assist survivors in achieving their maximum level of independence. To be seen by an occupational therapist, a referral by a physician is usually required and may be covered by insurance in only certain …

Good nutrition is important for everyone; for polio survivors, it’s essential. One cause of fatigue associated with the late effects of polio may be poor nutrition. For example, iron and some vitamins inside red blood cells are needed to carry oxygen to the body’s cells. Adequate intake and absorption of these substances are necessary to prevent anemia.  Maintaining good nutrition is an ongoing and …

The last case of paralytic polio in the United States caused by wild poliovirus was reported in 1979. Between 1979 and 2000 (when use of the oral polio vaccine was stopped in the U.S. and many developed countries), an average of five new cases of paralytic polio were reported each year. In 2022, an unvaccinated man in New York contracted acute …

No curative medication is available for post-polio syndrome. Currently, medications can be used to treat the symptoms and to improve quality of life. Certain other conditions and diseases (elevated blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, heart disease, and cancers) require use of medications with side effects that may exacerbate the general symptoms of post-polio syndrome, such as weakness and fatigue. …

Facing new functional loss is one aspect of the late effects of polio. While a positive focus is healthy and contributes to adjustment, to focus only on the positive, and to ignore the loss and its pain, separates one from his/her own experiences. Individuals need to adapt to, or grieve, loss. If grieving is incomplete, further psychological growth and development …

Making certain lifestyle changes is reported by polio survivors as the most effective treatment for the late effects of polio (Yarnell, 1998). Almost everyone who adopts such changes achieves some relief of symptoms (Westbrook & McIlwain, 1996). The change most recommended is the adoption of energy conservation techniques (see Conservation of Energy) which may involve the elimination, reduction, or modification …

The life-course framework for studying disability emphasizes the importance of developmental stages and tasks within a historical and medical context. It finds that decisions about current disability-related issues are influenced by broader concerns about identity and the fulfillment of personal and cultural expectations (Scheer & Luborsky, 1991). Early life experiences with disability are often found to still be important in …

Modern biomechanical and gait analyses identify excessive demands being placed on the joints and muscles. Overly strained muscles, tendons, and ligaments wear out. The proper therapeutic approach is to correct any deformities and to reduce excessive strain with appropriate orthoses (bracing), assistive devices (canes, crutches, etc.), changes in lifestyle, or selective reconstructive surgery. Joint deformities are most common in the …

Frequently during acute poliomyelitis, the bladder muscle, or detrusor, was paralyzed which resulted in retention of urine. Although bladder function usually returned, some individuals required catheterization. After the acute phase of the disease, some individuals experienced subsequent weakened bladder contractions (Timmermans et al., 1965). Although incontinence and other urinary symptoms are common among older post-polios, there is no evidence to …

One study of aging polio survivors found a greater number of polio survivors reporting high blood pressure than would be expected in the general population of the same age (Campbell, 1999). Survivors should monitor their blood pressure during routine physical examinations. Those with a family history of high blood pressure should begin and maintain a low-salt diet early in life. …