Aquatic Therapy for POTS

Overseen By EvaRose Celeste, OT Doctoral student

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: California State University, Dominguez Hills

Disqualifiers: Not diagnosed with POTS, Epilepsy, Bowel incontinence, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 4

12 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

The goal of this pilot study is to create, implement, and evaluate an aquatic therapy for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) program feasibility and ability to improve quality of life as determined by reduced orthostatic tachycardia, reduced POTS symptoms, and improved quality of life measures.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

Does aquatic occupational therapy reduce orthostatic tachycardia and POTS symptoms? Does aquatic occupational therapy lead to higher quality of live measures for people with POTS? Is this aquatic occupational therapy program feasible for clinicians and people with POTS?

There is no comparison group for this pilot study.

Participants will complete:

An occupational Therapy evaluation before and after program completion (3 hours total) 30 minutes at home/remote 30 minutes on-site/in-person 30 minutes of individualized occupational therapy on land

Participate in 3 aquatic therapy sessions per week, 60 minutes each for 12 weeks

Who Is on the Research Team?

EvaRose Celeste, OT Doctoral student

Principal Investigator

California State University, Dominguez Hills

Tracy Becerra-Culqui, PhD, MPH, BS OT

Principal Investigator

California State University, Dominguez Hills

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for individuals with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) or Autonomic Neuropathy. Participants will engage in aquatic occupational therapy to see if it improves their symptoms and quality of life. Details on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria are not provided, but typically would involve confirming a diagnosis of POTS and ensuring participants can safely perform aquatic exercises.

Inclusion Criteria

I have been diagnosed with POTS.

Participants must be English speaking

I am between 18 and 64 years old.

Exclusion Criteria

Bowel incontinence

I have epilepsy.

I am either younger than 18 or older than 64.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Occupational Therapy Evaluation

Participants complete an occupational therapy evaluation before and after program completion

3 hours total

1 visit (30 minutes at home/remote, 30 minutes on-site/in-person, 30 minutes on land)

Aquatic Therapy

Participants engage in aquatic therapy sessions focusing on breathing techniques, strength, endurance, and cognitive challenges

12 weeks

3 sessions per week, 60 minutes each

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Aquatic Occupational Therapy

Trial Overview The study tests whether aquatic occupational therapy can reduce the heart rate increase upon standing (orthostatic tachycardia), alleviate other POTS symptoms, and improve overall quality of life for patients with POTS. It involves an initial evaluation, followed by three one-hour sessions per week over twelve weeks without a comparison group.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Aquatic Occupational Therapy Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

All participants will participate in the aquatic occupational therapy arm. The aquatic occupational therapy intervention is divided into three progressive months: Month 1: Breathing techniques, proprioception, balance, and vestibular activities. Easy breathing and balancing moves Example: Belly breathing, water walking, toe lifts, mountain aqua yoga pose Month 2: Strength and endurance training Building strength and ability to exercise longer Example: Water marching, core exercises using dumbbells or paddles Month 3: Advanced strengthening and endurance tasks with integrated cognitive, balance, and dual-task challenges. Harder exercises and doing two things at once, like thinking and moving together Example: Dumbbell exercises while playing a word association game

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

California State University, Dominguez Hills

Lead Sponsor

Trials

5

Recruited

360+