Managing your AS & Resources
Treatment options
- Pharmacological Treatments
a) NSAIDS/Cox-2 Inhibitors.
Benefits of exercise
The focus for exercise for people with axial SpA (AS) is on improving or maintaining your:
- Range of movement in joints
- Posture control
- Muscle strength
- Muscle length
- Lung capacity
- Balance
- Cardiovascular fitness
- Increased flexibility will make everyday tasks easier to manage
- Increased range of movement will increase your ability to function
- Improved posture makes you feel better in yourself and reduces feelings of self consciousness
- Exercise is physically tiring which improves sleep quality, ensuring you wake feeling refreshed and improve your sleep
- Reduction in stiffness and pain – exercise can result in less pain at night and improved sleep quality
Exercise means moving. There are always stretches that you can do while sitting or lying down. More active forms of exercise are beneficial provided they are low impact, for example, walking or swimming, and are done on a regular basis.
Any exercise is better than no exercise unless you are in the midst of a flare. Supervised exercise and group exercise are more effective than exercising at home because you are more motivated in a supervised or group setting.
Any exercise you decide to undertake needs to be regular, consistent and kept up over the long term. So, it’s important to choose something you enjoy.
b) Education
Research shows that educating yourself about your disease and how to manage it will result in a better outcome for you. Education starts with getting the right information from your rheumatologist and healthcare providers. Visit our website for links to axSpA patient organization websites and for other educational resources. Use the Internet wisely for reliable, evidence-based information.
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
Exercise Resources For As Patients
Thoracic Spine
SI Joint
Lumbar Spine
Shoulder
Cervical Spine
Hip
Resources For Patients And Health Professionals
Credit: ASIF.INFO
What is Axial Spondyloarthritis
This infographic explains the terms Axial Spondyloarthritis, non-radiographic spondyloarthritis and ankylosing spondylitis or radiographic spondyloarthritis – and other terms under the umbrella term AxSpA.
Credit: ASIF.INFO & UCB
Women and AxSpA
Historically AxSpA was thought of as a man’s disease. This is now known to be incorrect but women continue to be misdiagnosed. This infographic shows some of the statistics
Credit: ASIF.INFO
Self-Diagnosis
This questionnaire* can help assess if your back pain is characteristic of inflammatory back pain – the major symptom of axial spondyloarthritis.
Approximately 5% of individuals with back pain are considered to have axial spondyloarthritis.2
Credit: ASIF.INFO
AxialSpondyloarthritis(axSpA)
axSpA is a chronic inflammatory disease, predominantly involving the spine and sacroiliac joints.