POTS Exercise Program Overview

The POTS Exercise Coach, powered by Chronius Health, makes it easy for POTS patients to complete the CHOP Modified Dallas Exercise Program with videos that guide users with countdown timers. While there is a strong evidence base for following the CHOP Modified Dallas Exercise Program or Levine Protocol, it can be complex for patients to follow — as each day of the 8 month program follows a slightly different routine. The POTS Exercise Coach makes it easier to seamlessly follow the program through audio or visual cues. Think of the POTS Exercise Coach as your own personal trainer to complete the CHOP Modified Dallas Exercise Program.

Exercise can be an important part of your treatment plan if you have an autonomic disorder, and can be beneficial on its own or combined with medications and other non-pharmaceutical treatments. What makes this POTS exercise program unique is its focus on the position of your body during exercise and its gradual progression in intensity over time. The program emphasizes starting with horizontal, or recumbent, exercise for the first several months — like swimming, rowing, or the recumbent bicycle. As patients increase stamina, the program works its way up to upright exercise, like walking on the treadmill or the elliptical. Of course, everyone experiences POTS differently, and therefore, any treatments have varying levels of success. Some might start the program bedridden, and therefore will only be able to tolerate a few minutes of horizontal exercise at the beginning. Others might be able to start with the full program right away on a rower or recumbent bike.

How does the POTS Exercise Coach work?

The POTS Exercise Coach is comprised of 130 free videos that map to the 34 week CHOP Modified Dallas Exercise Program. Each workout video provides countdown clocks with visual and auditory cues that support patients as they work through warm ups, cool downs, base pace, and maximal steady state exercise sets. The videos also indicate appropriate exertion levels and exercise positions/machines throughout each workout.

Each week the Exercise Coach provides a schedule for the patient to follow, including which days to do cardio vs. strength and how long each workout should last. Patients have access to all weeks immediately, making it easier to jump back and forth depending on if the patients misses any days of the program.

Tips for How to Exercise with the POTS Exercise Coach

It is critical to consult a doctor before starting this or any new exercise program, and to always listen to your body and how it feels as you work through the program. Your doctor can help you identify target heart ranges and goals for your exercise therapy that may be different than that offered through the POTS Exercise Coach. Based on doctor feedback, some POTS patients might want to complete this exercise under the supervision of a physical therapist, cardiac rehab program, or exercise physiologist, while others can complete it on their own at home or at a gym. Utilizing a heart rate monitor, like an apple watch, fitbit, or chest sensor, can also be useful while completing this program.