CHOP Your Way to Beating POTS: The Ultimate Guide to the Levine Protocol
Why CHOP? Because who doesn't want to CHOP down POTS and feel like a boss? If you want to show POTS who's boss and reclaim your life, CHOP could be just the ticket!
6/9/20213 min read
For people with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), symptoms such as dizziness, lightheadedness, and fatigue can make it difficult to engage in any physical activity. However, research has shown that a graded exercise programme can actually be beneficial for people with POTS, and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's (CHOP) Protocol (otherwise known as the Levine protocol) supports patients with a structured programme of graded exercise. In a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, researchers found that patients who followed the protocol had significant improvements in symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, and brain fog.
I know that reading an article about exercising with POTS can be nerve-wracking, especially if you're someone who is just learning about the condition. But as someone who's been there and done that, I can tell you that the Levine Protocol really does work! When I first started working with a Vestibular Physiotherapist to begin incorporating exercise into my routine, it was tough. I felt dizzy, my heart would race, and I just felt generally uncomfortable. It was frustrating and I thought about giving up so many times. But thanks to the Levine Protocol, I was able to gradually build up my exercise tolerance and overcome those initial setbacks. Now, I feel like a whole new person! I have more energy, more strength, and more confidence in my ability to manage my POTS symptoms. It's not always easy, but with some dedication, patience, and the right support, it's absolutely possible to conquer the challenges of exercising with POTS and achieve your health goals. So don't worry – you've got this!
Let's break down how exercise can help with POTS in a way that's easy to understand:
Your heart is like a muscle, and just like any other muscle, it can be strengthened through exercise. This can be especially helpful for people with POTS who may experience heart irregularities or low blood pressure when standing up.
Exercise can also help to increase blood volume, which is important for maintaining healthy blood pressure and delivering oxygen and nutrients throughout the body
While exercise may initially cause symptoms such as lightheadedness or dizziness in people with POTS, regular exercise has been shown to actually reduce these symptoms over time by improving cardiovascular health and blood volume.
The idea of starting this programme can be daunting, especially when you have POTS. But with the Levine Protocol, there are two primary ways to ease into it: recumbent exercise and heart rate control.
Recumbent exercises are performed while lying down and can include leg lifts, knee bends, and arm lifts with light weights. These exercises help increase blood flow and oxygenation to the muscles while retraining the body to function upright. So if you're feeling nervous about exercising, start with some recumbent exercises and work your way up gradually.
Another way the Levine Protocol helps you "start low and go slow" is through heart rate control. By monitoring your heart rate during exercise, you can ensure that you're not pushing yourself too hard and exacerbating your POTS symptoms. The protocol recommends starting with low-intensity exercise and gradually increasing intensity and duration as you build up your exercise tolerance. It's important to stay within a heart rate range that is safe and effective for people with POTS.
Remember, starting an exercise program with POTS requires patience and dedication, but the benefits can be significant. With the help of the Levine Protocol, you can gradually increase your exercise tolerance and improve your symptoms.
So You Want to Give the Levine Protocol a Spin? Here's How to Get Started!
In this post on the Levine protocol and how to calculate your target heart range, we'll take a closer look at how the protocol works, provide some practical ways to get started, and give you a step-by-step guide on how to calculate your tailored heart rates for the program.
