The most similar invention to the modern stair lift was originally designed by an engineer to help a friend who had developed polio and could no longer walk up and down stairs. That was in the 1920s. A chair was connected to a rail and ran on rollers that moved up and down the stairway, pulled by a chain. Today, Stair Lift Installation in Pittsburgh PA still helps polio survivors, including those who are struggling with post-polio syndrome (PPS).
Statistics
About 1 million U.S. residents who have left with permanently weakened or paralyzed legs because of a polio infection are still living today as senior citizens. The introduction of the polio vaccine in 1955 put a halt to a disease that had caused so much distress throughout the country for the past few decades. PPS is estimated to affect up to 40 percent of people who once had polio, medically known as poliomyelitis.
About PPS
Some patients recovered partially or fully from the disease, only to develop PPS years later. Individuals who had been left with some symptoms such as minor leg weakness or instability now deal with worse symptoms, along with muscle pain and fatigue. People who had recovered fully start having polio symptoms again, sometimes after decades have gone by. These symptoms tend to be intermittent and unpredictable.
The Importance of a Stair Lift
Stair Lift Installation in Pittsburgh PA can help polio survivors who usually feel fine but sometimes experience muscle weakness or fatigue. During those times, they cannot climb stairs without an increased risk of falling. Many of these individuals take a long time to recover from the flu or other illnesses. They can avoid further strain by using the lift instead of climbing stairs.
Many polio survivors who were left with a certain amount of disability in their legs probably chose not to live in a house with a second story. However, people who unexpectedly developed PPS symptoms and have trouble climbing stairs may already be living in a place where a stairway is a necessary path to bedrooms and the home’s only bathroom. Having a stair lift installed by a company such as McArdle Surgical is an enormous help. See website for information.
