Hi. My name is Lee Spannhake. I KNOW how hard it is to find good information on safe exercises when you have POTS. I know this because I have POTS. I am also a physical therapist. The sad truth is many healthcare professionals are not educated on the assessment and treatment of POTS. The process of figuring out what to do to help POTS can be so overwhelming.
I would like to share with you what I have learned as a person with POTS and as a physical therapist who works with clients who have POTS. I understand the body of a POTS person. I understand the good days and the bad days. I understand the frustrations in having a body that seems at times to have failed you. I understand the importance of being proactive in your treatments to help manage your symptoms. This program is for someone who wants to feel better through exercise but not sure how to do it. Exercise builds muscle strength and a more efficient cardiovascular system. An increase in strength in the legs and core will improve the muscle pumping action on the lower body’s pooling blood supply. In return, this muscle pumping action will expand blood circulation from the lower body to the upper body, heart and brain. Building a strong efficient heart will help to increase blood volume. To improve POTS symptoms, the heart and brain need this improved blood flow through mechanical muscle pumping action and increase in blood volume upon standing. This ultimately will allow you to tolerate more activities in standing with less symptoms.
Remember the statement, “No pain, no gain.”? Well, forget it! The Exercise With POTS program was developed to provide both education and a slow, yet progressive, a self-paced exercise program to help manage your POTS symptoms. It is a 5 day a week, 5 month exercise program. All strength exercises are videoed by me. All goals for cardio exercises are explained daily. Weekly exercise log sheets, weekly exercise goal sheets, educational videos and educational readings are provided in the program. You only do what you can tolerate. If it takes you 12 months to complete the 5 months, then that is perfect! If you only get to the first 3 months, then that is also perfect!
Each one of us is unique. What works for you may not work as well for someone else. But one thing is true when it comes to a safe exercise program for POTS, it must be done at a slower and lower pace which focuses on YOUR toleration.
- To learn more about POTS, follow me on Facebook at Exercise With POTS
- Watch for free the videos on the story behind Exercise With POTS and the structure of the POTS program at www.exercisewithpots.com.
- The 5- month Exercise With POTS program can purchased at www.exercisewithpots.com.
