Abstract
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) or Morbus Bechterew (Bechterew's disease) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease of the locomotor system belonging to the family of seronegative spondyloarthropathies involving predominantly the axial skeleton: the sacroiliac, costovertebral and apophyseal joints of the spine, the chest wall, hip and shoulder joints. Hypokinesis or the lack of motion is one of the major factors leading to a fast development of deformations in patients with AS, in particular in the axial skeleton, and, in the worse case, to irreversible ankyloses.
This is the main reason why access to lifelong exercise is so important for individuals with AS. Exercise therapy appears to be the most significant and essential part of the AS therapy.
It helps to maintain the spine and joint mobility and prevent the development of deformations typical of patients with AS (mainly in the site of the axial skeleton, hip and shoulder joints). Furthermore, the pain caused by AS is frequently relieved during exercise or immediately after it.
Exercise therapy brings most success in the period when irreversible ankyloses have not developed yet. The problematic issue, however, is adherence to locomotor activity.