11/12/2025
Dysautonomia doesn’t always look like being out of shape.
As a collegiate rower, I could handle intense practices and races- yet running, standing for long periods or upright activities caused dizziness, fatigue and heart rate spikes.
My fitness was there but my autonomic nervous system couldn’t keep up in gravity dependent positioning.
Athletes can be strong and still struggle with dysautonomia. To an outsider I was strong and fit and “fine” but truthfully I was just coping and luckily my sport was such that was within my capabilities but being able to run for fun with enjoyment took time, patience and work.