Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a progressively debilitating disease that primarily effects the spine. The small tendons and ligaments in your spine become inflamed which is bad enough in itself but as they heal they calcify, effectively turning into bone. The flexible tissue turning into rigid bone stiffens and eventually fuses the spine, your other joints, your eyes, heart, lungs and bowel can all be effected by AS too .

AS effects three times as many men as women and the average age for the onset of symptoms is 24. The pelvis and spine are effected in all adult AS sufferers, in women the pain is less severe but their wrists and ankles are more likely to be effected than with men. Children are less likely to experience back pain with AS but their hips and knees are worse and sometimes need replacement surgery at a relatively young age.

Weight loss and fatigue are common, the symptoms are worst in the early morning and improve with exercise, night sweats and fever are common too. The body in general will be better with regular stretching but more than anywhere else the muscles in the front of your thighs and hips (lateral to your groin) need to be kept flexible. If an AS sufferer allows their hip flexors to stiffen they will not be able to stand up straight, they can develop a permanent stoop forward at the hips.

There are effective drugs that can help control the symptoms of AS but you will be even be better still if you get regular body work or manipulative therapies, not just for your hip muscles but all over. Sometimes physicians may not specifically recommend other therapies such as remedial massage or chiropractic to their AS patients but this does not necessarily mean that these therapies will not help them. If you have AS and your doctor has no specific objections to other types of musculo-skeletal therapies it might be in your interests to try them.

Climate has it’s effects too, AS sufferers usually find that cold whether much more adversely effects them than warm weather. It may not be practical for you to move to a warmer place away from family, friends and work but something as simple as the way dress can make a difference. About a year ago I suggested to an AS  client that he wear a scarf to make his neck feel more comfortable and  it worked very well for him. He had never thought of trying this before, his doctor did not suggest it and it took me while to think about suggesting it too, sometimes simple things work very well.

The lungs of AS sufferers are effected through inflammation in rib joints making breathing uncomfortable, this can be helped by being posture conscious at all times, not wearing tight restrictive clothing, not eating large meals, bodywork and most importantly learn to breath from your diaphragm not costally (deep not shallow).

Get advice from your therapist about using Self Massage and stretching to alleviate your AS.