Postpolio Syndrome

Postpolio syndrome is the development of tired, painful, and weak muscles 15 years or more after recovery from polio.

In most people who have had polio, such symptoms are not due to postpolio syndrome but to the development of a new disorder, such as diabetes, a slipped (herniated) disk, or osteoarthritis. However, sometimes muscle tissue also wastes away, suggesting postpolio syndrome.

Doctors suspect postpolio syndrome when muscles become progressively weaker but sensation is not lost. Muscle weakness can have many causes, so tests, such as electromyography, are needed.

No specific drugs are available. Physical therapy and exercise help people maintain muscle strength and help prevent permanent stiffening of the muscles (contractures). People should pace their physical activities so that they do not become tired.