Alyssa
Alyssa was diagnosed with a serious condition called POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) in addition to Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) which is an autoimmune disease causing laxity of joints, skin, and blood vessels. Individuals with EDS can experience chronic pain, a feeling of instability which may be associated with subluxations/dislocations, and fatigue among other symptoms which make it difficult to perform daily activities.
When Alyssa first started physical therapy at 3DPT Old City she could only do very minimal exercise and her treatment often had to be modified and focused on seated exercise to accommodate the symptoms associated with POTS. Her therapist, Dr. Benjamin Harris developed a plan that emphasized stability and strength with technical modifications for EDS. Now after some time in PT, Alyssa is lifting over 100 lbs and leg pressing over 300 lbs!
Here’s what she had to say about her condition and experience at 3DPT Old City so far:
Tell us about what brought you to physical therapy and how this affected your life.
Due to a POTS/EDS diagnosis, I deal with chronic pain that makes it difficult to exert myself. I was unable to lift more than a few pounds at the beginning. It was unsafe for me to exercise and do anything with heavy weight safely.
What has been the hardest part of your therapy? What was your favorite part of physical therapy?
The hardest part of therapy has been dealing with the fluctuation in my symptoms, but my therapist Benjamin, always adjusts my treatment based on how I am feeling to make sure I succeed.
My favorite part of PT has been being able to lift over 100 lbs!
Check out how strong Alyssa is now! This video shows her leg pressing 300 lbs and participating in an “airplane pull” with the fire department her father works at!
What advice would you give to other people who suffered similar injuries or going through the same situation?
Have a really good support system (or just a puppy 🐶) because the rehab process has its good and bad days, so having someone to lean on is key!
Why would you recommend 3 Dimensional Physical Therapy to your friends?
The people at 3DPT care and put effort into making sure each session is different and focused on my goals and how adapted to how I feel that day.
What are you looking forward to doing again now that you are moving and feeling better?
Taking my dog to car meets and being able to socialize more!
If you or a loved one is dealing with POTS, hypermobility or EDS, Physical therapy can help!
Physical therapists can help individuals with POTS/EDS by providing exercises to alleviate pain, stabilize joints, improve strength, and improve exercise tolerance. PTs can also use manual techniques to reduce tissue tension in times of increased pain. Your therapist will work with you to maximize your function so you can return to doing all the things you enjoy!
Some of the symptoms that PT can help with include:
- Feeling of instability in joints
- Frequent joint subluxations and dislocations
- Chronic ankle instability/sprains
- Jaw pain and clicking
- Chronic fatigue
- Headaches
- Management of comorbid conditions, such as POTS or dysautonomia
Click HERE to make an appointment with a 3DPT physical therapist