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myPotential

Safety & regulatory information

What myPotential does, what it doesn't do, and the evidence behind the protocol.

What myPotential is

myPotential is an iPhone and Apple Watch app that supports people with diagnosed POTS who have been cleared for exercise by a clinician. It displays a structured daily exercise plan based on the CHOP Modified Dallas POTS Protocol — an 8-month, 242-session graduated conditioning program that progresses from recumbent to upright training.

The app displays your live heart-rate data from a compatible device (Apple Watch, AirPods Pro with heart-rate sensing, or a Bluetooth heart-rate monitor) alongside a target range calculated from your age. When your heart rate moves outside that range, it provides a quiet audio or haptic cue — a pacing reminder, not a clinical alert.

Your session history, profile, and heart-rate data stay on your device. There are no accounts, no sign-up, and no health data on our servers.

What myPotential is not

myPotential is not a medical device. It has not been reviewed, cleared, or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

myPotential does not:

  • Diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent POTS or any condition
  • Provide medical advice or replace the judgment of a clinician
  • Monitor your heart rate for medical purposes or detect arrhythmias
  • Prescribe or adjust medication or treatment

Speak with a clinician before starting any exercise program, especially with POTS. Stop immediately if you feel dizzy, lightheaded, or unwell.

The evidence behind the protocol

The CHOP Modified Dallas POTS Protocol was developed by researchers at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and UT Southwestern. It has been studied in peer-reviewed research:

  • Fu et al. (2011), published in Hypertension, found that a structured exercise program improved POTS symptoms and quality of life, and that the exercise intervention outperformed beta-blocker medication for the outcomes studied.
  • The full protocol is available as a free PDF from Dysautonomia International.

Important: this research studied the CHOP protocol, not this app. myPotential has not undergone independent clinical validation. The app displays the protocol's session structure and calculates target ranges using the same formula the protocol specifies — it does not create or modify the protocol.

How heart-rate ranges are calculated

The app estimates your maximum heart rate using the Tanaka formula (208 − 0.7 × age), a well-established age-predicted model. Target ranges are calculated as percentages of this estimate, following the CHOP protocol's zone definitions.

This is a population-based estimate. Individual maximum heart rates vary. The app relies on consumer devices for heart-rate data and does not guarantee clinical accuracy. If your clinician has recommended different target ranges, you can set custom ranges in the app's Preferences.

Compatible devices

The app displays heart-rate data from:

  • Apple Watch (wrist-based optical sensor)
  • AirPods Pro (generation 3 or later, in-ear optical sensor; requires iOS 26+)
  • Bluetooth Low Energy heart-rate monitors (chest strap or armband)

The app does not connect to medical-grade monitoring equipment. All heart-rate data comes from your own consumer devices.

Beta blockers

Beta blockers change how heart rate responds to exercise. Because the app's pacing cues are based on heart-rate ranges, it is not suitable for people taking beta blockers. The CHOP protocol recommends using a perceived-exertion scale (RPE) instead of heart-rate targets for beta-blocker users. RPE-based pacing is not yet available in myPotential.

Privacy

Profile, session history, and heart-rate data are stored locally on your device. Heart rate and workouts flow through HealthKit under Apple's privacy framework. Anonymous usage counts (screen views, feature usage) help us understand how the app is used. No heart-rate values, names, email addresses, or device identifiers are collected.

Read the full privacy policy.

Regulatory resources

For more context on how health apps are regulated in the United States: