Go back 5 years and I was involved in sport and was running regularly and could comfortably run for 3 or 4 kilometres without a break.

Now I can barely run 100 metres to catch a bus without being exhausted by the time I get there. Now that I have no more pain in my hip I have decided that I need to work on my fitness again. I am not sure where to start.

My question is, how healthy is running or jogging when one suffers something like AS, even if it is under control. If I start running regularly, am I just putting more pressure on my joints which will come back to haunt me in 10, 20, 30 years? I have heard varying opinions on this.

I know things like swimming are the best exercise, but sometimes it is just not practical to do it regularly. I do not have a pool where I live here in Germany and public swimming pools are far out of the way and expensive.

Does anybody have any advice on getting back into improving fitness without doing more damage to the joints?

Phil

Hi Phil!

I am a German-American. 50% German. Deutschland über alles! My physical therapist told me not to jog as it would accelerate joint damage. I have avoided it. I try to walk fast instead. I figure why take a chance! I do the 10,000 step a day workout.

If there is pain, I would not run. If it doesn't hurt, though, it's probably fine. That is what my own rheumatologist told me. It probably depends how active your disease is.

Enbrel has put A.S. into remission for me, for the time being. I have logged over 100 miles (>160km) on some weeks, and have ran 3 marathons since being diagnosed with A.S. I am running another marathon in 2 weeks.

Running with A.S. is not for everyone, and many with A.S. should definitely not do it, but it can certainly be done. I think it actually helps me feel better. Move it or fuse it.

Thanks guys.

I think the conflicting information makes it difficult to make a decision. Some doctors etc. say yes, some say no.

I guess it's a risk either way. I would really like to be able to do some running again. I sometimes worry that I may not be able to run anymore in 5, 10, 20 years or whatever. It would be a shame to stop doing it now while I am still able to.

Is there anything that you do to minimise the pressure on the joints while running? Shoes? Grass or road? etc.

Phil

Hi, There are lots of people who run in the water to ease the pressure on the joints. Here's a video.

I guess I will tell my story. When I was first diagnosed my doctor told me to stop running. I stopped for a while, but then started again. I found that running helped keep the AS calmed down. Sometimes I would be in some pain when I started running, and after a 1/2 mile the pain would ease up. I decided long ago that if I was still in pain after about a mile I would abandon the run, and walk back home. I am not fast, and getting slower, but still going. That is my personal story.

Thanks guys.

Yeah I think I will get back into it.

I don't want to run marathons or anything... just a bit of running or jogging to stay fit.

Phil

Have you tried nordic walking? That way you can get the fitness you want with the stability of the sticks. It works all areas of your body. I started doing that when I lived in Switzerland and found it was an easy way to get fit. But, since moving back to Canada, I haven't done much cause of the yet undiagnosed back/joint pain. Now that I know what I have and am on Simponi (which is helping ease the pain in the joints) I am thinking of doing the nordic walking again. As much as my mind thinks I am a marathon runner..hahaha, my joints say nope! Maybe that would be a good way to ease your way back up to jogging. Just a thought. Good luck.

Nordic walking is awesome. My hands can't always handle holding the sticks... and I can't really walk distance anymore... but it is an awesome exercise.

I'm going to get back into running again. Don't know whether the two are related, but when I'm on the no-starch diet, I run pain-free. I frequently lapse on the diet, but I'll get back on it again and let you know how the running goes.

Well we closed the pool up so I am going to have to resort to the gym or just walking as I can..Tori and I try to walk every day and I havent been remembering to vome here and post it..will try and do better!

Keep up the good work everyone!

I don´t know but I have heard that a good way of running to protect your joints is to always wear proper running shoes (they are well cushioned) and also to run on a treadmill with a slope of zero as this is softer than running on the ground. If you run with a slope of 1% this is equal to running on the ground.
I run on the treadmill and have had no adverse affects ( although I run only about once a week).

Hope this helps

Save your joints and take up cycling. I stopped running because my feet and hips are bad. I do cycling and yoga instead and love it.

Walking every day 1 miles
now I am moving snow!!!

I don't feel good, but when I am done I always feel better!!!

I would run if I could. but when we can't we walk, cycle, swim against the current. repition makes us strong and can ruin joints, we have to be smart and practicle.
My joints hurt, byt have never been wearing out, so my DR's say dow what you can when youw can.

some day I will be reduces to rolling on the gorund with my grandkids, but I will be doing that too!

Wise words. I gave up hiking for swimming. Swimming got me back on a bike, because it heals up (for me anyway) those tiny little spine stabilizing muscles.

Yep! I was just talking with a couple of people in the locker room about this exact phenomenon. We don't like starting, but we LOVE the way we feel when we're finished swimming or working out!

For me it hurts on my spine to run. I can do it, but know I will regret it next day because of the pain on my spine.

An elliptical machine puts almost zero impact on my body, I can do 30 to 45 minutes without a problem in fact I always feel much better after a cardio session on the elliptical machine, it works like an NSAID for me, much better than swimming.

Have you ever read Chrstopher McDougal's book, " Born To Run "? Really good book and might hold part of the solution for those of us w/AS.

I completely changed my stride after reading that book and it has made all the difference. I use minimalist shoes or go barefoot now, and it doesn't bother my joints at all. But you have to change your stride from a heal-strike to a forefoot-strike first. It takes some time and practice, but there are tons of good resources and videos online to help. Let me know if you're interested and I can post a few.

Good luck,

Yesterday - walked 2 miles in 30 minutes. Had to be brisk - very cold here - although not as bad as Ontario!!! Ha ha!

Just three weeks before the onset of my first bad AS pain, I had run my first half marathon. Now, four months later and I miss running terribly!

My rheumy told me I could run again (I guess because I was diagnosed so early). But right now that seems impossible, I'm home from work and my shoulder is killing me. However this subject has made me glad to see some people can still run with AS.

I'd really like to hear from people who are running or trying to get back into running? For inspiration and encouragement. I will also post when I make progress

Cheers, Emily

I will just move a part of my story about running in here.

I have what my specialist call a very severe AS. It has been discovered in just about every joint in my body and my eyes. I was also told to stop running and start walking when I first got the diagnosis.
I didn't stop. And my pain slowly got worse. I then started walking and swimming and doing the exercise bike as reccommended. Nevertheless, I put on weight and I could feel my fitness level drop. But! I love to run. So after 20 months I bought a treadmill with very good impact regulation.
It is a dream come true for me. I have dropped the weight and have less pain breakthrough. My fitness has improved again. Hence I have more energy again. I have been able to cut back on the endone which I believe is a good thing. My physio says that she can feel that my body has improved.

I tried many fitness clubs and many have good treadmills. Some are no different than running on the road. But there are those who have ones with great shock absorption. Look around and find out if there is a great treadmill near you. And then start slowly and lightly to see how you react. If you feel good, then build up distance and speed really slowly. Build up slower than normally suggested. But stay off the road. No shoes exist that have sufficient shock absorption on their own. And remember to run on treadmills with a 1% incline. Later you can raise it to 2 and finally 3% to support your knees. We are not designed to run on a absolutely flat surface.

Warm up your ankles, knees, hips and back first and then thoroughly warm up your body by walking at a good pace with a small incline. Warmup is even more important with AS. After all we are already injured. It is also important that you keep the correct posture while running. Check it out. Most healthy runners don't even know the right posture.

When I run I'm fully aware that I have AS:) It often aggravates the pain a little at first. Sometimes even more than just a little. On a few day it gets somewhat bad during the early run. Pain then almost every time slowly eases up during the rest of the run. But half an hour after finishing it is always better than before the run. And on days I haven't run, my late night and next morning pains are a lot worse than when I run.

I now usually run 10k per day. I'm not as fast as I used to be, but I can still outrun most people when I go to the fitness centre. I bought my own treadmill because sometime the energy levels were not good enough to get me out the door first. When there is pain and fatigue getting started can be hard, so i bought one to lower the number of excuses not to run. On bad days it can be hard to get over four k and on great days I can do a half marathon. I do some of these in actual organized runs.

In total, my experience is that running is better for many things for AS patients who, very importantly, enjoy running. But only if they stay off the road, sand, and grass and use a treadmill with great shock absorption and great fitting and supporting shoes. Shoes should not be underrated. It is important with AS that it supports your foot and running style. Many places or food specialists can help you get the right shoe. They don't have to be expensive, not even from such places. The treadmill I use give me less impact than when running in water. And running has done wonders for my posture.

If pain is bad before the run I start running with low effect TENS. The running almost always improves the pain afterwards for me. It is highly individual though how we react to things, but I suggest you discuss the treadmill use with your specialist. My new specialist is all for it on treadmill and thinks it is sad that there are so many web authors who are against it. Find out, before you talk to your specialist and buy shoes, what level off shock absorption you can get to in your area. Maybe you will end up buying your own of it is a success?

I still use the bike and the physios exercises as well. But I dread the day that I can no longer run. Hopefully it never comes.