Research continues to demonstrate how beneficial occupational therapy (OT) is for the POTS community. We hope that reading through some of the most recent research gives you added insight into how OT may be helpful for you, and/or others you know who may be navigating POTS or other similar conditions.

• Those within the POTS community can struggle to care for themselves and may have difficulty cooking, shopping, traveling to appointments, and consistently being able to attend social events and/or functions. OT can help individuals in our community with daily tasks they may otherwise find to be very challenging (Oetjen et al., 2022).

• Ensuring treatment regimens are individualized (and personalized) can help significantly given the variation within the POTS community when assessing symptom presentation and severity (Oetjen et al., 2022).

• In addition to limitations specific to physical functioning, those within the POTS community may also struggle socially and emotionally secondary to their physical limitations (Levine et al., 2021).

• In individuals with both hEDS (hypermobile EDS) and POTS, occupational therapists can work to make various environmental modifications and other recommendations which may increase their quality of life and daily functioning (Levine et al., 2021).

• Healthcare provider limited POTS knowledge and insight can negatively impact the ability for individuals in our community to receive the care they need, negatively impacting their functioning and quality of life (Rich et al., 2020).

• OT's can help reduce the emotional impact of living with POTS and other co-occurring conditions by providing them with the necessary tools to help them increase their functional abilities (Dochod & Grapczynski, 2019).

• Including OT early on in treatment may be beneficial to maximize functioning for individuals with POTS. The interventions may help increase quality of life and well-being (Dochod et al., 2019).

• Providers should consider the psychosocial and cultural impacts individuals with POTS navigate. It may also be helpful for them to recognize how OT’s may help individuals with POTS positively adapt and cope with these very challenging obstacles, as they can help them reengage adaptively in meaningful and desired occupations (Dochod et al., 2019).

• “Cultivating mind-body practices [may contribute towards] enhanced awareness, intentional changes, and thoughtful responses to symptoms. Developing these skills [may have] a positive impact on occupational performance, satisfaction, enjoyment, perception of well-being, and health-related quality of life” for individuals with POTS (Dochod, 2022).

• In their study, activities that were most difficult for individuals with POTS often included those where orthostatic intolerance was problematic, including (but not limited to) activities requiring standing or sitting positions (Rich et al., 2020).

• Working individually with clients can ensure all concerns and treatment goals are being verbalized, allowing OT’s to develop thoughtful plans that are tailored to meet their client’s individual needs (Oetjen et al., 2022).

• Activities that can be impacted by standing and sitting difficulties can range from showering and brushing teeth, to cleaning, childcare, and shopping (Rich et al. , 2020).

Sources:

Dochod, J. R., & Grapczynski, C. A. (2019). Increasing functional abilities of people with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome through occupational therapy. The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.15453/2168-6408.1522 

Dochod, J. R. (2022). Enhancing health-related quality of life through occupational therapy: A case report of a client with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Occupational Therapy In Health Care, 36(3), 202–219. https://doi.org/10.1080/07380577.2022.2051218

Levine, D., Work, B., McDonald, S., Harty, N., Mabe, C., Powell, A., & Sanford, G. (2021). Occupational therapy interventions for clients with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) in the presence of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Occupational Therapy In Health Care, 36(3), 253–270. https://doi.org/10.1080/07380577.2021.1975200

Oetjen, L., Johannsen, A., Bean, J., Sim, L., Harrison, T., Tsai Owens, M., & Harbeck-Weber, C. (2022). The goals and outcomes of adolescent and young adults with POTS attending an intensive interdisciplinary treatment program. Occupational Therapy In Health Care, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/07380577.2022.2116666  

Rich, E. M., Vas, A., Boyette, V., & Hollingsworth, C. (2020). Daily life experiences: Challenges, strategies, and implications for therapy in postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Occupational Therapy In Health Care, 36(3), 306–323. https://doi.org/10.1080/07380577.2020.1824303