THE EFFECT OF EXERCISE ON ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS -- A PRELIMINARY STUDY

The Polhemus Navigation Sciences 3Space Isotrak system was usedto measure the range of lumbar spinal motion of 57 patientswith ankylosing spondylitis. Forty-three of these attended voluntaryexercise sessions for an average of one and a half hours perweek while 14 did not participate in any formal exercise groups.Exercising patients fell into two groups: those attending moderateand those attending vigorous exercise sessions. Results forexercising patients obtained immediately pre- and post- a singleexercise session showed a small but significant increase inextension for the vigorous exercise group but no significantchanges in any other movement for either of the groups. In agroup of 44 patients (33 exercising, 11 non-exercising) whowere followed-up over a 2 to 6 month period, slight loss offlexion (5.5°) and lateral bend (3°) was observed butthere was no change in range of extension. KEY WORDS: Exercise, Ankylosing spondylitis, Range of motion, isotrak