Advising all polio survivors not to exercise is as irresponsible as advising all polio survivors to exercise.

Current evidence suggests that exercises are often beneficial for many polio survivors provided that the exercise program is designed for the individual, following a thorough assessment, and is supervised initially by knowledgeable health professionals. Individuals with polio and their health professionals who are knowledgeable about their complete health status should make the ultimate decision on the advisability of exercise and the protocol of the exercise program.

Read the complete statement at http://www.ncpad.org/663/2759/2003-09-01. Access NCPAD's factsheet on post-polio (http://www.ncpad.org/56/414/Post~Poliomyelitis) and monograph, "To Reap the Rewards of Post-Polio Exercise," at http://www.ncpad.org/115/887/To~Reap~the~Rewards~of~Post-Polio~Exercise.