Exercise & POTS

Straight from the horses mouth…(Cleveland Clinic)

Exercise and physical activity

Exercise and physical activity are key to managing POTS. Here are important things to know as you undergo an exercise program such as cardiac rehab, as well as other physical activities. Talk with your healthcare provider for specific instructions on these exercises.

• Isometric exercises involve contracting your muscles without actually moving your body. Isometrics squeeze the muscle and push the blood back toward the heart. They are simple to do and can be done lying in bed or seated in a comfortable chair. It’s a good idea to do these in bed before getting up to prepare your body for sitting and standing.
• Transition slowly with your body. Go from lying to sitting on the edge of the bed. Stay there for several minutes, allowing the body to naturally adjust to the change in position. Once you are standing, pause and wait before walking to allow blood pressure to adjust again. If you feel lightheaded at any point, wait for a few minutes in that position to see if it resolves. If not, then return to the prior position as your body isn’t adjusting properly. SLOWLY is the key.
• Begin a modest walking program. Count how many steps you can do without inducing symptoms. These steps are your initial baseline. Start with walking once a day and go a little further in time, distance or by adding steps. If you feel good, add a second walk in the day. A simple strategy for counting steps is to do 100- 300 steps per awakening hour during the day. Fitness trackers can monitor steps and distance easily. Every week or every few weeks add more steps to your daily total.
• Simple yoga with focusing on breathing may help reduce POTS symptoms.

As you do better with your POTS, more fitness and exercise regimens may be started.

POTS: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment (clevelandclinic.org)

Microsoft Word – CHOP_Modified_Dallas_POTS_Exercise_Program.docx (dysautonomiainternational.org)