Ankylosing Spondylitis

Ankylosing Spondylitis is a form of spinal arthritis, an inflammatory disease that overtime can cause the vertebrae to fuse and so be less flexible.  It can result in a hunched forward posture.

Symptoms
The first symptoms are intermittent lower back, as the condition progresses pain will be more constant.

The pain and stiffness are worse at night and the morning or when less active.  The pain will ease with exercise and worsen with rest.  Other parts of the body can be affected such as shoulders, knees and ankles which can be swollen and painful.  The ribs and breastbone may also painful and stiff and your eyes, usually one, may have swelling pain and redness.

Diagnosis
Getting a diagnosis can be difficult as scans in the early stages may not show any inflammation or fusing.  There is no definitive test for Ankylosing Spondylitis, but a blood test can pick up inflammation, if inflammation is found you would be referred to a rheumatologist.

Diagnosis is confirmed if an x-ray shows inflammation of sacroiliac joints (sacroiliitis) and you have at least one of the following:

1. Three months or more of lower back pain that gets better with exercises and doesn’t improve with rest.
2. Reduced movement in the lumbar spine (lower back)
3. Reduced chest expansion comparative with age and sex.

Treatment
There is no cure for Ankylosing Spondylitis but there are things that can be done to relieve symptoms and delay or prevent the process of spine fusion.

Treatment involves a combination of:

1. Exercise
2. Physiotherapy
3. Medicine

Physiotherapy is a key part of treating Ankylosing Spondylitis.  Your physiotherapist will:

1. Advise about the most effective exercises for you and make an individually tailored programme to suit you.
2. Massage soft tissue, to manipulate muscles and soft tissue to relieve pain
3. Advice to keep active and improve posture and range of spinal movement.

Daily stretches and exercise are very important, if in doubt speak to a physiotherapist before taking up a new form of sport or exercise.