falls

Fell: Cracked Vertebra

Post-Polio Health, Volume 31, Number 4, Fall 2015

Question: I am 82 years old and have PPS. Two years ago I fell backward down the stairs and broke my C2 and C3 vertebrae. I still can’t turn my neck enough to drive myself. I get worn out doing nothing, and I am tired all the time. I had two chair lifts installed, which does help, and I can walk with a walker, so I am able to get to church. Do you have any suggestions for me?

Swelling of Legs

Post-Polio Health, Volume 27, Number 4, Fall 2011
Ask Dr. Maynard
Frederick M. Maynard, MD

Aging Well with Post-Polio Syndrome: Don’t Let Fall Prevention Fall Through the Cracks

Researchers at the University of Washington’s Aging Rehabilitation Research and Training Center, agerrtc@uw.edu

Falling in older adults is a big public health problem. Injuries that result from falling in older adults are serious, life-changing, costly, potentially fatal. In the U.S., deaths from falls is the leading cause of injury-related deaths in adults over the age of 65 (1).

Brace Maintenance and Care Guidelines

Tamara Treanore, CO, ABC
Daniel M. Ryan, MD

Brace maintenance and care will improve the function, extend the life and improve the comfort of the brace. The following guidelines are provided for your use. Please feel free to ask any questions.

Brace Yourself!

Along with wheelchairs, nothing conjures up as much anxiety as the idea of having to use new—or long-ago discarded—splints, braces, canes or crutches. Using supportive devices may seem like sending a beacon to the world that we are disabled. After years of functioning without obvious aids, it seems like stepping backwards.

The Utility of Post-Polio Bracing

Irwin M. Siegel, MD

Patients with post-polio weakness can often benefit by using an appropriate brace.

Orthotics

Orthotics is the use of braces and splints (orthoses) to biomechanically assist in supporting and stabilizing parts of the body affected by paralyzed and/or weak muscles (Bunch, 1985).

Preventing Falls

SAFETY FIRST
Living with a chronic condition requires a lot of adaptations. The one thing you don’t want to cope with is the effects of an injury that could have been prevented. Falls are the second leading cause of death from accidents for people of all ages and more than 200,000 people suffer a fracture of the hip each year from falls. For some, it may be impossible to continue living alone after suffering a serious injury.

Kitchens

CREATING A USER-FRIENDLY KITCHEN
Many of us arranged our kitchen back in the days when we were physically capable, so what did it matter if we had to walk extra steps or carry heavy pots? Now, however, we have a finite amount of energy and strength, and we need to assess whether the kitchen meets our needs. Take a few minutes, sit down, look around and evaluate your kitchen.

Safety in the Bathroom

Sit down for showering. Difficulty with transfers, poor balance, and fear of falling affects people’s ability to bathe safely. For those who need to access a bathtub to bathe or shower, a bathtub transfer bench which rests partly inside and partly outside the tub enables one to sit down outside the tub and gradually slide over to the inside. Some models come with a backrest, adjustable height legs, and various seat sizes and types.

Opportunities to Participate in Research

NEW STUDY ON AFM AND POLIO A new study concerning acute flaccid myelitis (AFM... More

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