Living With Polio

Millions of individuals who had polio are living in all areas of the world. Survivors range in age from a few months to nonagenarians (in their nineties). Aftereffects vary greatly depending on the number and location of the nerve cells destroyed by the poliovirus. The challenge or ease of living with polio varies for each survivor, depending on the availability of medical care and rehabilitation opportunities, and their family and social support.

Advice, hints, explanations, etc., are categorized by topic and are searchable. The source of the material is identified.

Reminder: PHI’s post-polio.org and IVUN’s ventusers.org or ventnews.org features numerous articles to assist in living with polio.

Joint Protection

JOINT PROTECTION

Joint Deformities

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.

Carrying

DON’T LIFT THAT LOAD!
I live alone and can’t always wait for my daughter to come over and move things for me. Or I get home from marketing and some of the foods have to make a quick trip to the freezer or refrigerator. As my mobility kept getting worse I turned more and more to using carrying aids. Among other things, I like the independence they give me.

Breath Control

You can save energy … by breathing! Say what? Isn’t that what we do all the time? Who even thinks about it?

Well, people with asthma, chronic bronchitis or emphysema (COPD) think about it a lot because they have to work hard at it, especially when they exhale. They have difficulty exhaling stale air and that leaves less room in the lungs to inhale the life-giving oxygen the body needs.