Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Symptom of AS ?

I have become more and more prone to injury from things that, in the past, wouldn't have even registered as out of the ordinary. Also, injuries such as light sprains, pulled muscles,etc., blow out of proportion, take forever (if ever) to heal, as well as instigating flares. All this of course has led to muscle and tone loss, but I'm wondering if other folks are experiencing similar symptoms?

Hi Jan,

I'm also what's commonly known here as a "clutz"!! I'm always dropping things, knocking them over, bashing myself on doorways, etc (I'm not overly-large, so it's not as if I have to squeeze myself thru!! )
And yes, I bruise easily, pull muscles, sprain/strain things that, to "normal" ppl, I'm sure would simply not happen.....

I believe we've discussed this b4, and I seem to remember there were quite a few of us experiencing similar problems, so decided it "goes with the territory", unfortunately
Also, I'm sure in my case anyway, my meds have a lot to do with it (oxycontin in particular!).

The slow-healing thing is possibly something to do with an out-of-whack immune system.....?

Take care,
Sue

Hi Jan

Growing up there was always the saying "Step on a crack break your mother's back". Well I think my mother put a jinx on those cracks. It seems each time I stepped on a crack I had another sprain ankle. Now I have spinal damage.

Chairs, tables, walls all seem to stick out further for me. My toes are so mis-shaped. I've had so many head injuries, from falls. I've had rotator cuff damage because of my clutzy ways.

I think you can say I have experienced similar symptoms.

Gerri

Hi jan_the_man
My left ankle has never been the the same since I sprained it several years ago. Also since I can't look forward, I can easily walk into things like the others have mentioned. I don't bruise easily, except on my back along the spine and on my knees. I have also been prone to fractures and hernias during the past 5 years or so.

Hope this helps,
James.

Hey, jan the man:

Yes, this is quite normal for me.

AS--the inflammation--is systemic, and affects every muscle, including the heart. The level of muscle involvement is usually about a 15% overall decrease in strength in people who have had AS ten years or longer. Also, the muscles are not as efficient and become acid-laden too early during exercise and the resulting is a decrease in stamina that can be greater than 25%.

There is no question whether AS affects nearly all body systems; it is only toughest on the bones and joints--the rest are more subtle.

Getting out and staying out of inflammation has been important, but I cannot say that my healing has resumed at anywhere near the pre-AS pace. This is obfuscated, however, by the long-term damage due to AS.

Best Regards,
John

YES!!!
Any acute strain goes chronic in me.
If I so much as stress a joint a tiny bit more than it likes, I can cause a flare that will last years in that joint. Take my achilles last year - I caused a tiny tear in it from hiking, but it caused a massive reaction that lead to chronic achilles tendinitis, and it's only starting to get better now. My SI first started from overdoing it rock climbing. I also had a knee start like that years ago too. I guess a small injury attracts a normal immune response, and but whatever reason, it just continues to try to "heal" for years, or something like that.

You know Jan, you may be on to something! I injured a facet joint in my lumbar area in November and it is still not healed. I can go for about 1 week and I think it is back to normal and then I do something as simple as change the sheets on my bed and boom I am back to square one. I did not relate it to my AS but after reading your post maybe that is what is going on.

Sounds familiar... when my AS was active, any little tweak caused a sprain or pain much worse than what it should have been.

I recall leaving a hockey game and walking out of the arena. Someone accidently tapped my right foot from behing and it caused my right leg to knock into the left and my right hip became inflamed for 3-4 days. I was amazed at how such a small episode could cause such pain.

Have several similar stories such as the above, but that one really sticks out for me.

Tim

I went to bed fine and woke up the next morning with my elbow hurting. It was tendenitis. After being on a prednisone dose-pack for a week, it still hurts. My rheumatologist said it would probably take about 2 months for it to go back to normal. I didn't even do anything that I can remember to cause it to hurt. Seems as if it doesn't take anything to result in tendenitis, sore backs, etc.

Last April when i tripped over something, it trigged a really bad flare up and it was continuing for two weeks that it was very painful. That was shortly before I was finally dx'ed with AS

I have learned to keep floor clear of anything and try not to trip.