Exercise has been the most hotly debated area in PPS. The studies cited below
say three things:
 
1) Listen to your body! If you are doing things that cause fatigue, weakness
or pain STOP DOING THEM!!!  PS need to pace their activities, that is work
and then rest about 2 times the amount they worked. Jim Agre showed that PS
can do 240% more work if they PACE. You don't drive your car until it's out
of gas; you shouldn't drive yourself to exhaustion, weakness or pain;
 
2) We only prescribe the non-fatiguing exercises devised by Rubin Feldman
that have been shown not to hurt PS. But, these exercises are not given to
all patients and are only prescribed after PS learn to pace and conserve
energy! Patients are usually given gentle exercise after they get a new brace
to  keep muscle tone. The key word is NON-FATIGUING;
 
3) We have seen a small handful of PS who became deconditioned after surgery
or illness. Pacing and resting doesn't mean sitting or sleeping all day and
not moving. You should be doing what you need to do for yourself, and at your
job, but in a paced, energy conserving, Type B fashion.
 
In our follow-up of all the patients we have treated, the three factors that
were related to a significant decrease in fatigue were 1) completing the PPS
therapy program; 2) doing absolutely nothing for 15 minutes twice a day; 3)
using a wheelchair or scooter for distances.
 
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Young GR.  Energy conservation, occupational therapy and the treatment of
Post-Polio S
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