“Not the End of the World”: Katie Ledecky Opens Up About Long-Term Health Disorder and How She Deals With It

Fans admire Katie Ledecky for her dominance in the pool and have always been in awe of how she has remained consistent with her pace since 2012. However, a recent health update that she only shared earlier this June has not only gained her more fans but has also made her a living testament to resilience.

Before the Paris Olympics, Ledecky came clean with her POTS diagnosis and how she had been dealing with it. In a conversation with Women’s Health Magazine, she confessed how she wanted to share her struggles and be honest about her ups and downs in life.

POTS or Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome is a health condition where one experiences a reduced amount of blood flow back to the heart upon standing up after lying down. The symptoms include lightheadedness, fainting, and more.

Ledecky admitted that she had kept the diagnosis private since 2015 when she came to terms with it for the first time. She experienced feeling hot and lightheaded during a team dinner and discovered the condition back then. However, her symptoms have been mild and she learned how to overcome them over the years.

“When I first received the diagnosis, I was very focused on the numbers—how much I was hydrating and what I was fueling my body with.”

And now, the diagnosis doesn’t deter her from what could’ve caused a hindrance in her prolific career. She claimed that she had been well aware of how her body worked and continues to keep an eye on how her body reacts. In the end, nothing can stop her from smoking her competitors and that’s just something she maintains.

“If I need to take it a little easier on a certain day, that’s not the end of the world.”

Being an athlete involves pushing oneself against all odds daily and fighting through habits and patterns to channel a champion’s mindset. Ledecky has always been tough on herself, given her expertise in long-distance swimming that demands endurance. However, that doesn’t mean she refuses to take care of herself.

Coming clean with her diagnosis only gave her center stage to explain how important it was to listen to one’s body. Appropriately hydrating herself, getting enough sleep, downing sufficient amounts of electrolytes, and so on has carried her through most of her symptoms.

And while it takes a village to ensure an elite athlete like Ledecky remains healthy and hearty, she makes sure to be patient throughout the process and believe in herself.