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Making Exercise Attractive for People with Ankylosing Spondylitis

Many studies show that people with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) are helped by regular exercise. AS is a type of arthritis that causes the bones of the pelvis and spine to fuse together. Exercise can help patients with AS gain improved movement, posture, and fitness.

Doctors often advise a lifetime of daily exercise. But how many patients actually heed this advice? This study surveyed 1500 patients with AS to find out about exercise patterns. The author expressed disappointment about the findings. Patients who are more disabled reported exercising more often. Younger patients with AS who are less disabled were generally less willing to exercise.

Knowing the benefits of exercise is one thing. Finding ways to motivate AS patients to do the exercises is another. The unfortunate motivator found in this study was a greater amount of disability from the disease. Those with more severe disability were more likely to exercise consistently.

Exercise is key to a healthy future when AS is a part of that patient's life. Regular exercise starting early in this disease shows a link to better future health. In the past, the question has been which exercises are best for AS. The main concern now is how to get patients with fewer problems and less disability to exercise at all.

Exercises need to be effective in keeping the patient flexible and with good upright posture. There also needs to be a way to make the exercises attractive enough to keep the patient interested over a lifetime.

References: Albrecht Falkenbach, MD, PhD. Disability Motivates Patients With Ankylosing Spondylitis for More Frequent Physical Exercise. In Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. March 2003. Vol. 84. No. 3. Pp. 382-383.

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