Modified aerobic walking program: effect on patients with postpolio syndrome symptoms.

Modified aerobic exercise may have a role in the management of patients with symptoms of postpolio syndrome by improving biomechanical efficiency, alleviating secondary cardiorespiratory and muscular deconditioning, and avoiding some risks associated with traditional strengthening exercises. The effects of a walking program on the functional capacity of patients with symptoms of postpolio syndrome were studied. Three patients participated in full oxygen consumption studies during submaximal treadmill exercise tests before and after an eight-week period. Two patients participated in an eight-week program designed to prolong walking duration while maintaining perceived exertion and discomfort/pain at minimal levels. A third patient was tested before and after eight weeks but did not receive training. The untrained patient showed some reduction in the retest compared with the initial test at all workloads with respect to oxygen consumption, heart rate, and systolic blood pressure, but ratings of perceived exertion and discomfort/pain were comparable for the two tests. Reductions in metabolic responses during the retest could be explained by the effect of habituation to the testing situation. In contrast, the trained patients showed relatively marked reductions in both metabolic and subjective responses after training. These results suggest that patients with symptoms of postpolio syndrome can increase their functional work capacity after a modified aerobic walking program. This improvement reflects improved biomechanical efficiency and possible training effects at the cardiorespiratory and muscular levels. Further research is needed to elucidate the role and interactions of these mechanisms in improving the functional work capacity of patients with chronic neuromuscular dysfunction.