Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion Helpful Tips Benefits of exercise

Hi,
I am doing the exercises suggested by the physiotherapist regularly. Can anyone say what are the benefits of these exercises? Will it help in anyway to reduce the medication dose or prolong the period of biological medicine dose?

Regards.

Jay

Hi Jay,

Exercise, with AS, is mainly used to prevent reduced range of motion, prevent inflamation from building up, and preventing fusion from happening too. THe more the joint moves, the less the AS can fuse the joint together. Exercise can, and most often does, reduce pain from inflammation as well. Exercise also helps circulate blood and oxygen within the joints and helps break away any already solidified deposits, and calcification, left behind that are created by inflamation and the fusion process. It also helps secrete inflamation out of the joint and tissues involved.

Yes it is possible to reduce meds due to a good exercise routine.

Exercise is a very important part of treating AS. Although, over-exercising or pushing to far presents a problem for many of us, it can actually cause severe pain and inflammation in an AS involved joint. The main thing we all need is keeping our joints stretched as much as possible, without going overboard. Of course the level or amount of exercise will vary from person to person.

One more thing about exercising and AS. Exercise is also good for our muscles (of course). We need to keep them strong and flexible to be able to handle the stiffening joints, and to prevent them from becoming severely weakened from lack of movement. In some cases a stiff joint can cause the muscles to tighten up and strain too.

As you can see, exercise to me is important. I am not very 'able-bodied' anymore, but I am still doing every little bit I can when I can so it doesn't get any worse.

P.S. If you feel like some exercise is too much for you, and it leads to pain afterwards, then it probably is too much exercise. Go at your own pace, don't force it, just keep your joints active, and maintain good health.

Take care,
James.

exercise is very helpful...

Yes to exercise. The last three months, I was too crippled to even walk properly, let alone climb stairs or do almost any exercise. As a result, I have really noticeable wasting in my thigh and butt muscles. Now I'm back on prednisone, I've started exercising in earnest to try to get some muscle tone back before I have to come off the prednisone again and start the cycle once more!!!

I'm one who does not feel better with exercise. I'm sure that the movement does help combat fusing, but I definitely end up hurting more by exercising than by doing nothing, but I do, exercise that is: low impact stuff; walking; extremely light weight lifting (I'm talking about 30 pounds bench pressing, about 30 times and a few arm curls with 5 pound weights. The walking helps the most. I find my back hurts more when just stading still than it does while walking, but hills, steps and dips hurt my back.

for me, i have low level to moderate muscle spasms. these constant spasms weaken my muscles. strengthening exercises help me to keep the muscles from spiraling downward. the weaker the muscles are, the easier they spasm, its a never ending cycle, but the exercise helps to break that cycle.

the stretching also seems to help the muscles from spasming too much.
also help tendons from forming scar tissue for me.

aerobic exercise gets the blood flowing. blood flow helps tendons heal.

and the aerobic exercise helps my blood pressure, blood sugar, triglycerides, and HDLs.

sue

Hi James,
Thank you for your elaborate reply. I am doing the streching and breathing exercises. I also do the range of motion.

Regards.
Jay

Hi sue,
Thank you for your reply.

Regards.
Jay

my rheumy has advised "prone lying " to me for 20 min twice a day. though i do it only once but after i get up i feel that my spine is straight like a stick.
another thing is that i can do it even when i am in severe pain. it also makes you relax.

Swimming and yoga are the only things I can do that don't make me feel crippled for days after, and the more I do - the better i feel. Even with swimming though, my shoulders and upper back will ache, but I feel generally better - less "sick".