Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Getting less tall??

Anyone having people that you know telling you "have you shrunk". Well, just saw a friend of mine the other day and he asked me if I was getting smaller. My DAD was small in stature, but big in heart. I try to concentrate on good posture,but I guess sometimes if I don't it(the spine) starts doing it's stooping thing, I know it's true,because I've seen pics of me, anyway, I guess it's my day in the whinners dept~~Bless all~Bill

I've shrunk two inches, feels weird to be shorter, it happened fairly quickly, and with me it's because of my lumbar spine collapsing, loss of disc height, you can hardly see daylight now between discs, I guess it's in the process of fusing. What's that old song about Short People? I used to be 5'8" and thought it (the song) was cute. Now I'm 5'6" and would feel discriminated against

Cheryl

Dogs don't want to know about every other dog you've been with

Bill
no one has ever said anything, but I was measured the last time I went to see my Rheumy, about 7 / 8 weeks back and came in at 5ft 7" . I have all my adult life been 5ft 10" so theres 3" gone, and my dr tells me I have a very good posture. I am always making sure I sit or stand properly and am always doing exercises to make my spine straight. Perhaps I need to hang upside down and carry weights .

Stay Well
Paul


A friend is someone who reaches for your hand. And touches your heart.

Bill,

Less tall is right for me to. I used to be about 1/2" taller than my wife who is 5' 6 1/2". At the time I was 5' 7". Now I am barley over 5' 5". Shes injoying her new status now as being taller. Well, What can I say. This was a big deal 25 years ago when we first got married and I ribed her pretty hard about it. Shoe is now on the other foot or in mouth one. Take care and be well as you can.

Rickey

Good god, Im 5'4".
5'2 and 1/2" b4 I straighten out those 'curves'!

I better start shortening those clothes!

Yeah Bill,

I'm on my second round of having people remarking that I seem to be getting shorter. When I was at my tallest during my early 20's, I was half an inch over 6 ft tall. I started bending and by the time I reached 35, I had gone down to 5 ft 2 in tall.

I started the second round by having the surgery to get me back up to 5 ft 9 in tall and have since slipped back to 5 ft 7in. tall.

People who haven't seen me for many years are confused as to whether I am shrinking or growing which is good for this means that they won't usually say anything.

So what am I, "less tall" or "more shorter" ?

Anyway, don't worry about it, I've found that most people do not measure how tall someone stands with just a measuring tape. ASKickers all stand pretty tall, don't you think??

George

Breb Assyl

Bill
I started out at 5/11 now i'm 5/6.This site is great i always thought i was the only one with AS.
Bradford

Hello, Chreryl and the others friends.

You tell about "with me it's because of my lumbar spine collapsing, loss of disc height, you can hardly see daylight now between discs, I guess it's in the process of fusing". You are right. But there may be another element also.

A interesting physiotherapist, woman who's living in Iruñea-Pamplona (perhaps some of you knows "San Fermines", "Encierro", etc) named Nekane Ripodas told me in last March: "Over your arthritis I can't do nothing. But there is over you one mechanics problem also, and there we can improve very much".

This woman works on the Mezzieres Method. The idea is (synthesizeing): the most important muscle chain of all us is the back chain that goes from toes untill TMJn (passing by neck, all the back, the chest, hips, knees, ankles, sole of the foot, etc). When this chain shortened, there is not place enough for joints, and much pains and mechanical damages will happen. And we will lose height.

Over this logic, Ripodas (like much other physiotherapist following Mezzieres way) works and learn us to working at home over the whole chain, always streching. The exercises are very different to the standard exercises for A.S. And for me had been more effective. I'm moving better the neck without standar neck exercises, but with all back chain exercises, who are very simple. There are some books about that.

When I went to Nekane Ripodas in March with my wife, physiotherapist said: "Lengthening your muscle chain, you must increase some centimetres in one-twoo years". Who knows! Maybe I'm over the changes and surprises way of the Old George...

Besarkada bana denoi (Hugs for all).

Pello

This woman works on the Mezzieres Method. The idea is (synthesizeing): the most important muscle chain of all us is the back chain that goes from toes untill TMJn (passing by neck, all the back, the chest, hips, knees, ankles, sole of the foot, etc). When this chain shortened, there is not place enough for joints, and much pains and mechanical damages will happen. And we will lose height.

I have thought that stretching and keeping the back muscles in shape might be helpful, and I do the "normal" exercises as taught by my PT, but what is the Mezzieres Method? I would love to regain at least one of those two inches! My SIs are fused, but I was hoping that the process might stop there, am due for more x-rays to see what is going on since it's been two years since my last x-rays. The strange thing is I lost those two inches over a two-year span of time, talk about shrinking in a hurry!!!!! Thankfully I have no sign of osteoporosis, which is another cause of shrinkage, and I've been told osteoporosis is also common with AS. Additional information would be appreciated. Thanks, Pello!

Cheryl

Dogs don't want to know about every other dog you've been with

Cheryl:

I do have osteoporosis. Because that, I had to leave cortisone last year and I suffered the "mono" (withdrawal symtoms) when left it (is my suspect). Another problem more for getting less tall. And for more pains, this is worse.

I need some time for posting because my anemyc english, and I will try to have a look for documents I have somewhere. And by the way, Cheryl: are you able to understand spanish? And french? I ask it because the book of Nekane Ripodas is in spanish and some materials of Mezzieres are in french.

See you later.



Pello