Individuals dealing with post polio share a number of the same debilitating issues. One of those for many of us is rotator cup problems. Some PPSers wonder if anyone else deals with the same problem they struggle with. It can be frightening as you lose some ability or discover a new physical problem. As I said, though, rotator cup problems are not uncommon to people dealing with post polio.

This is something I began dealing with a couple of years ago. I am trying to take precautions to protect my shoulders as much as possible. With my right leg totally paralyzed and my left leg paralyzed from the knee down, keeping my shoulders safe is a high priority. Everything I do necessitates the use of my shoulders--getting up and down, transferring to a different chair, as well as just the normal use of my arms. This constant use, plus more than 40 years using crutches, has put a lot of wear and tear on my shoulders. The last x-rays indicated that my left clavicle had some separation in it too.

For most people, surgery with rotator problems, surgery is the usual answer. For me, and many other people with PPS, surgery means being totally incapacitated. There is no way to move around until sufficient healing takes place. There is also muscle atrophy that has taken place, which makes regaining the use of one's shoulders more risky.