How to exercise to relieve symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic progressive disease that mainly affects the sacroiliac joints, hip joints, paraspinal soft tissues and peripheral joints. Exercise therapy has many benefits for patients with ankylosing spondylitis, and its effects are difficult to achieve with medication.

① Stretching exercises on bed

When you wake up in the morning, lie on your back with your arms stretched over your head and in the direction of your fingers and toes. Relax when you are satisfied with the stretch. Stretch your feet, push your heels down, and bend the backs of your feet toward your knees. Relax when you are satisfied. Can be repeated several times.

②Knee-chest exercise

Lie on your back with your feet on the bed and your knees bent; lift one knee and slowly bend it towards your chest, hold your knee with both hands and pull it towards your chest until you are satisfied, then return your feet to the original position and do the above exercise with the other knee. Repeat 2-3 times on each knee, relax; hug your knees with both hands 2-3 times, relax; hug your knees with both hands 2-3 times, until the stiffness disappears.

③Cat back exercise

Kneel down like a cat, lower your head and try to relax, while arching your back like a bow until you are stretched to your satisfaction.

④Abdominal exercises

The goal is to stretch the abdominal muscles, improve strength, and maintain a straight torso posture. Lie on your back, bend your knees, put your feet on the ground, and slowly raise your shoulders until your hands touch your knees. Hold for five seconds, return to the original position, and repeat the above movements five times.

⑤ Rotational exercise

Sit down, bend your knees, cross your arms, turn to the right, look at your right elbow, hold for five seconds and repeat. Five times on each side.

⑥Neck rotation exercise

Sit with feet on the ground and turn your head to the left or right. And look at the shoulder on the same side, then recover, five times on each side. You can also flex your neck forward, bring your chin toward your chest as close as possible, and return to the original position; tilt your head back as far as possible, and return to the original position. Repeat five times in each direction.

7. Chest expansion exercise

The purpose is to stretch the upper chest and shoulder muscles to maintain or improve chest and back posture. Stand facing a corner with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands supported on two walls at shoulder level. Take a deep breath, move your shoulders forward and stretch your head and upper back. Hold for five seconds, return to original position, and repeat five times.

⑧ Relaxation training and pelvic tilt exercise

Lie on a firm, comfortable surface such as a blanket with your back flat and your knees bent. Breathe in slowly to a count of 2, then breathe out slowly to a count of 2, maintaining this slow rhythm of breathing as you clench and then relax your fists, and feel the relaxation moving up your arms, into your head, and then down your back and legs. Then contract your abdominals and flatten your lower back to the floor.

⑨Knee to chest exercise

At this time, you should hold one knee with both hands and slowly pull it towards your chest. Hold it firmly and count slowly to 5 before releasing it. It is advisable to lower it slowly and do the same exercise on the other knee, and then do it on both knees at the same time.

⑩ Supine exercise

Place your feet flat on the ground with your knees bent and your hands behind your head, contracting your abs as if you were trying to sit up. Hold this position for a slow count of 5 and then relax.