St. John Physical Rehabilitation Services
Educate to Succeed
We believe that polio survivors have much to gain from the support and experience of other polio survivors. We encourage information sharing, and our conference area provides a comfortable area of patients to do so. It is also our philosphy that if patients and their families take an active role in educating themselves, it can have a positive effect on both their quality of life and their success in managing their symptoms. The Post-Polio Clinic offers a variety of current reference materials to help our clinicians and patients stay abreast of the latest information about post-polio syndrome.
Facts about Polio
The World Health Organization estimates there are up to 20,000,000 survivors of poliomyelitis living in the world today.
Of the estimated 1,000,000 survivors of polio living in the United States, 450,000 are lving wiht the effects of permanent paralysis, ranging from unequal leg length, resulting in a limp to paralysis of the breathing muscles resulting in the use of a ventilator.
Research suggests that 120,000-180,000 polio survivors may be developing “post-polio” syndrome.*
*Source: International Polio Network, Jan. 2001
For more information, go to Health Information about Post-Polio Syndrome
