Ankylosing spondylysis results in upper back stiffness and bad posture. Can I expect some tips for lifestyle?

Question

I am 53 years old.Had bad walking style since childhood. A road accident at age of 38 made the spine weaker. MRI and HLA B27 tests are validating diagnosis and also indicating bamboo spine related issues. Body stiffness and inability to stand straight has had big impact on me.
Trying my best to keep myself busy and with a positive outlook .
Plenty of support from family and people with whom I had a good business relationship.
Warm water fermentation and breathing exercises to keep lungs in healthy condition are some of the routine steps taken to avoid further deterioration in health.
Expecting some more knowledge on DO's and DONT's.

Answer 1

Physical therapy can provide a number of benefits, from pain relief to improved physical strength and flexibility. Your doctor may recommend that you meet with a physical therapist to provide you with specific exercises designed for your needs.

Range-of-motion and stretching exercises can help maintain flexibility in your joints and preserve good posture. In addition, specific breathing exercises can help to sustain and enhance your lung capacity.

As your condition worsens, your upper body may begin to stoop forward. Proper sleep and walking positions and abdominal and back exercises can help maintain your upright posture. Though you may develop spine stiffness despite your treatment, proper posture can help to ensure that your spine is fused in a fixed upright position.

Having massage therapy several times a week will help the muscles and reduce the pain.

Most people are able to live productive lives despite a diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis.

You may want to join a support group of other people with this condition, in order to share experiences and support. Contact your local office of the Spondylitis Association of America or the Arthritis Foundation to see if there are any groups in your area or if you can start your own.

I've enclosed a link that will give you more information.

Answer 2

Hi. My name is Fr. Dave and I have had AS for 30 odd years now and you can expect many things to happen as the disease advances in your spine.

You can also go into remission, sometimes for a year or two.

For more information you might want to look up http://risg.org which is a support group for folks with AS and other members of the Spondyloarthropathy family of disease. The archives of that list go back over 12 years and are accessable and searchable by members of the group. There is also an yahoo group you might consider joining and receive information from folks who have either have gone through or are going through with the disease. That group is at
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/RISG-L/
You will be joining over 600 members around the world that have these diseases.

Fr. Dave

Answer 3

see a doctor he will give you the best results