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WHAT IS POST POLIO SYNDROME

Post Polio Syndrome is a poorly understood condition that can affect people who have had polio in the past.

Polio is a viral infection that used to be common in the UK, but is now rare.

Most people who had Polio would have fought off the infection without even realising they were infected.

Some people with Polio would have had paralysis, muscle weakness and shrinking of the muscles. But usually, these problems would have either gone away over the following weeks or months, or remained the same for years afterwards.

Post Polio Syndrome is where some of these symptoms return or get worse many years or decades after the original polio infection.

SYMPTOMS OF POST POLIO SYNDROME

Post Polio Syndrome can include a wide range of symptoms that develop gradually over time, including:

persistent fatigue (extreme tiredness)
muscle weakness
shrinking muscles
muscle and joint pain
sleep apnoea

The condition can have a significant impact on everyday life, making it very difficult to get around and carry out certain tasks and activities. The symptoms tend to get gradually worse over many years, but this happens very slowly and treatment may help slow it down further.

Post Polio Syndrome is rarely life-threatening, although some people develop breathing and swallowing difficulties that can lead to serious problems, such as chest infections.

WHO'S AFFECTED

Post Polio Syndrome only affects people who've had polio. It usually develops 15 to 40 years after the infection.

The condition has become more common in the UK in recent years, because of the high number of Polio cases that occurred during the 1940s and 1950s, before routine vaccination was introduced. It's estimated that there are around 120,000 people living in the UK who survived Polio when they were younger. Some of these have, or will develop, Post Polio Syndrome.

It's not known exactly how many Polio survivors are or will be affected by Post Polio Syndrome. Estimates vary from as low as 15% to as high as 80%.

WHAT CAUSES POST-POLIO SYNDROME?

The exact cause of post Polio Syndrome is unclear. It's not known whether anything can be done to prevent it.

The leading theory is that it's the result of the gradual deterioration of nerve cells in the spinal cord (motor neurones) that were damaged by the Polio virus. This would explain why the condition can take years to appear.

Post Polio Syndrome isn't contagious. The theory that the Polio virus may lie dormant in your body, causing Post Polio Syndrome when it becomes reactivated at a later stage, has been disproven.

It's not clear why only some people who've had polio develop Post Polio Syndrome. Those who had severe Polio when they were younger may be more likely to develop the condition.

Contacts us: 0800 043 1935
Email us: info@britishpolio.org.uk

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Polio charity hosts National Indoor Games for survivors

The British Polio Fellowship

3 days ago1 min read

Everyone's focused while playing Scrabble

An event considered the only one of its kind for individuals living with the effects of polio took place this weekend.

The National Indoor Games, hosted by the British Polio Fellowship (BPF), was held on Friday 14 March and Saturday, 15 March, at the Marriott Hotel in Leicester, offering a variety of activities for attendees.

"The Fellowship has hosted the Games for many years, bringing together polio survivors from across the UK.

"Our primary goal is to ensure the event is accessible to anyone who has had polio (including partners and carers), and that it’s an enjoyable experience," said Kripen Dhrona, BPF Chief Executive Officer.

"The weekend even featured activities such as a raffle, tombola, bingo, dingbats, and even a disco."

Medals were awarded to first, second and third place in the games that took place on the Saturday.

Congratulations to everyone with a medal and thanks to everyone who took part.

Event	1st Place	2nd Place	3rd Place
Boccia	Anna Tizzard	Lisa Welsh	Frank Evers
Cribbage	John Fisher	Robert Reid	Tim Pratt
Sitting Darts	Steward Thompson	Maria Gomez-Santos	Mick Harper/Maggie Draper (Tie)
Standing Darts	Michael O'Grady	Prakash Pachandi	Wetu Kibikibi
Dominos	Catherine and Keith Mitton	Julie Round and Frances Craig	Daxa Gandecha & Deborah Hill
Kurling	Gary Page	David Clark	Mika Jackson
Scrabble	Linda Evers	Helen Granger	Mary Guild
Draughts	Bobby Park	Dawn Fisher	Adele Evitt

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