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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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Football club honours renown player Jeff Hall

The British Polio Fellowship
May 2
2 min read

Left to Right: Kenyon, Mc Strabick, Dhrona and Miller with Jeff Hall's football shirt and match programme

Bradford Park Avenue Associated Football Club (AFC) has come together with charity, The British Polio Fellowship to remember Jeff Hall and his legacy.

Bradford Park Avenue AFC hosted a special event on Saturday 19 April at its Horsfall Community Stadium in Yorkshire, to celebrate its new partnership with the British Polio Fellowship and pay tribute to Jeff Hall, who tragically died of polio on 4 April 1959, aged 29. Peter Kenyon, Commercial Director at the club described it as a “special day” in recognition of both the cause and the legacy it commemorates.

Emma Miller, Jeff Hall’s great niece was present on the day and spoke fondly about her great uncle. Hall played for Bradford, Birmingham, and the England national team, before falling tragically ill with polio. His death had a significant impact on the general public, sparking a dramatic rise in demand for the polio vaccine and a heightened level of awareness of the disease.

“I am so proud to call Jeff my great uncle. He didn’t die in vain,” Miller went on to describe how she has made it her mission to continue the campaign and “will not stop helping spread awareness.” She is proud that Bradford Park Avenue is now an “official partner of the British Polio Fellowship."

Chief Executive Officer at The British Polio Fellowship, Kripen Dhrona spoke about the work of the charity and its impact as a “trailblazer in supporting polio survivors.” Established in 1939 - 86 years ago – it was the first charity to employ individuals who ad been disabled by the polio virus. Its aim is to raise national awareness and be the definitive “voice of the polio community.”

As a symbol of the new partnership, The British Polio Fellowship presented the team at Bradford Park Avenue AFC with an England v Denmark World Cup match programme for 5 December 1954, and the original football shirt worn by Jeff Hall on the day. Thomas Mc Strabick, Sporting Director at the club described the exchange as “a real delight.”

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