A fall which results in a fracture can be a devastating setback for someone who has had paralytic polio. People who have had polio are often maximally using their muscles to move about and any disruption, such as a fracture, which may take weeks or months to heal, can be devastating. Therefore, preventing falls if of great importance to a person who has had polio. A prime time for falls is during poor weather conditions. Thus, an attempt should be made to limit time spent outdoors during bad weather.
Slippery bathrooms are also the site of many unnecessary falls.
Simple modifications such as a tub bench or shower seat, grab rails and a non-slip mat can greatly reduce the risk of falling in the bathroom. Keeping a record of how often, where and why falls are occurring can help our doctor troubleshoot for you. It is extremely important to prevent as many falls as possible. When patients ask me how many times is too many, I reply that I want to do everything possible to eliminate all falls. Because breathing is something we do continuously, it is very difficult to rest the respiratory muscles.