Post-polio syndrome (PPS) is an ongoing condition. Your treatment will focus on controlling symptoms and learning new ways to stay active despite having muscle weakness. Careful exercise and proper rest are the cornerstones of successful treatment. Other aspects of treatment may include physical and occupational therapy, assistive devices such as canes or braces, medicines for pain or sleep problems, and respiratory therapy to help with breathing problems.

Initial treatment

If you have just been diagnosed with post-polio syndrome (PPS), your doctor will probably recommend that you start a program of regular exercise to increase your muscle strength and endurance. Exercise will also help you maintain a healthy weight, which reduces the stress on your joints and muscles. With your doctor's guidance, a physical therapist can design an exercise program for you and make sure that you do the exercises safely and correctly without overexerting yourself. Overexertion can make symptoms of fatigue, muscle weakness, and pain worse.

Getting adequate rest is another key component of early treatment, especially if fatigue is a problem for you. You may want to start looking for ways to adjust your daily schedule so that your routine is less stressful or tiring. If sleep problems are contributing to your fatigue, you may require further evaluation using a sleep study. Treatment for sleep problems and the type of doctor who treats them may depend on what is causing your sleep disturbances.

Your doctor may recommend that you use an assistive device such as a cane or brace if needed.

Because post-polio syndrome can weaken the muscles that help you breathe, some doctors recommend that people with PPS get an annual flu shot(What is a PDF document?) to avoid breathing problems from the flu. You might also consider getting the pneumococcal vaccine.(What is a PDF document?)

Ongoing treatment

Post-polio syndrome (PPS) can cause a wide variety of symptoms. Ongoing treatment focuses on dealing with your particular symptoms as they develop and become troublesome for you. New symptoms may arise after you've had PPS for many years. When new symptoms develop, it's important to see your doctor to make sure that they are caused by PPS rather than another medical condition.

Being aware of the effects of stress, anxiety, and depression on your symptoms is also an important part of your ongoing treatment. These problems are sometimes difficult to recognize. Talk with your doctor when existing problems get worse or new symptoms develop. Don't assume there's nothing you can do about them.

Exercise and rest

A continued program of moderate exercise and proper rest is the most important part of ongoing treatment for PPS. Staying active and conserving your energy may seem like conflicting goals, but both are needed to control your symptoms.

• Weight lifting and other strengthening exercises can help with muscle weakness and joint pain, as long they don't increase fatigue during or after exercise. Do not do strengthening exercises more often than every 2 to 3 days so that you do not overuse muscles that were damaged by polio.
• Moderate aerobic exercise may also help relieve fatigue by building enough endurance so that you can do more activity before getting tired. The goal of both strengthening and aerobic exercise is to work up to, but not beyond, a point at which you start to get tired.
• Stretching and muscle relaxation exercises may help relieve muscle pain and reduce stress.
• Regularly scheduled rest periods or naps during the day can help limit fatigue. When you can, plan activities around your need for rest periods. Make adjustments in your daily schedule so that your routine is less stressful or tiring. Have a family member or friend help with errands and household chores. Eliminate unnecessary tasks or activities that aren't a valuable use of your time and energy.

Ice, heat, and physical therapies

• Muscle pain may be treated with ice, heat, massage, or electrical stimulation. If the muscle pain is related to poor posture, correcting your posture under the guidance of a physical therapist can help.
• Joint pain may improve with ice and heat therapy.
• If you have abnormal curvature of the spine, a physical therapist can also help you with posture, body mechanics, and other back care.

Assistive devices