Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group How do I get back Flexibility

I am becoming more and more rigid as days go on.
I have been doing a lot of swimming and walking lately put are still becoming more and more rigid.

I have almost lost movement in my neck and back.
I find the stressing exercises to difficult to do know.

My Arthritis Specialist told me that my back and neck will fuse completely and there is nothing that I can do to stop it.

I do a lot of walking, as I do not want to loose my ability to walk. My hip muscles get so tight that it takes me about 1/2 an hour or more of walking to start to free them up.

I am not flexible enough to do yoga or most of those exercises.

The Arthritis Specialist said to avoid Chiro's as my neck is fused and parts of my back are fused.

Any suggestions
Thanks
Wayne

Hi Wayne~

Even though you may not be flexible enough for the Yoga poses, just doing them as much as you can, can be beneficial to remaining/regaining some muscle strength and flexibility. I recommend the video "Yoga for Dummies" because it's very gentle and slow, and VERY helpful!! Nothing to lose, and everything to gain if you try!

Good luck!

Stacie

Stacie, thanks I might buy Yoga for Dummies and give it a try.

Thanks
Wayne

You might want to get in touch with a physio, too. You can't undo damage already done, but you can work to try to stop more damage from occurring. A physio might be able to give you some stretches that you can start slowly with.

Also, are you on anything, such as an anti-inflammatory? I found that my range of motion got better after I went on vioxx. I could touch my chin to my chest again, my breathing became easier, my left hip eased up so I could do my pilates more easily again.

Hugs,

Kat

Kat. Thanks for the information.

When I was in Hospital, Physio sort of avoid me, other than the hydrotherapy. They seemed to be hestant on what to suggest.

As to medications, I have been through the Mobic, Vioxx etc.

Currrently on Sulfaalazine, Indocid (Sup), MTX and blood pressure meds.

Thanks
Wayne

Hydrotherapy is definitely one of the most recommended forms of exercise for us. It would be a start anyway. And take a look at some gentle restorative yoga, or restorative pilates. Pilates especially is great for strengthening our core ab. muscles, which we use to support our backs. The moves we do in class work pretty much complete range of motion, and I do all mat work, no intimidating equipment yet.

Hugs,

Kat

Hi Wayne,

First thing is. "bullfeathers" to your Arthritis Specialist.

When I first joined KickAS back in 199?, my spine had already fused and I didn't have any flexibility from the neck down to my hips but I was able to turn my head to the left about 18 deg and to the right about 26 deg. I could only move my head upwards about 7 deg and downwards about 8 or 9 deg.

But I was happy then as I had previously gone through the back straightening surgery which took me from 5' 2" back to over 5' 9" tall. A lot of people at KickAS those days were using the slogan "use it or lose it" and I started to take it seriously for a couple of reasons. I wanted to continue driving the car but I was getting to the point where if could barely turn my head, then I was becoming too dangerous to be out on the roads.

So for the last few years, I have kept on doing one exercise at least twice every day and that is: to keep turning my head to the extreme left and right and when I hit the point of no more turning, I use all my muscle strength to turn even more. I then do the vertical head movement up and down to the maximum I can move it and then force it a bit more.

If you try this, you will have to get use to some cracking noises but to me, those cracking noises are the sound of fusing being delayed and more flexibility being achieved. Today, in my head rotation to the left, I can turn about 26 deg and to the right, I can move about 35 deg. I have only improved my head upward and downward movement by 2 to 3 deg in each direction. Small improvements but they are improvements.

Your Arthritis Specialist is right (in my opinion) that you should avoid a Chiro working on these critical areas. I took some massage therapy several years ago and the therapist was smart enough to realize that my back was fused solid but when he saw that there was some movement in my head, he wanted to work on it. I said no for no other reason other than the possibility that this guy goes a little too far and causes some damage.

As long as I keep this up, I continue to gain some flexibility, however small it may be. I know I cannot return to what I was like in my early 20's but I would like to be able to maintain the movement I have now and when my wife walks me over to a park when I'm in my 80's, I'll be able to turn my head and watch these lovely ladies as they walk by.

Try doing the neck movement exercises yourself but be gentle to start. The nice part is that you can even do these exercises in bed or lying on a sandy beach. It took me a year before I noticed that I was reversing the trend but since then, the trend has continued. Hey, maybe one day we might even meet while sitting on the same park bench.

George

Old George,

thank you emensely for the information. You have given me more determination to get back some flexibility.
The Rhuemy almost made me give up fighting the fusion, according to him, it was going to happen no matter what I did.
I want to, not just stop the fusion, but fight it back even if it is only a little.

Thanks again
Wayne

George thanks for the head turning information. Started turning head flexibilty streches today. I find that resting my head on the back of the recliner for head support helps me to turn even farther. I only have about 10% side to side but 30% up and down. One other area is tip. I have almost none left. I have done what you suggest on occation but not on a regular basis. Looking foward to greater head turning and better driving. Thanks
Smed

Dear Old George,.... I think you should consider using your retained flexibility to turn towards your lovely wife. After all, wasn't it she who cared enough to walk along beside you, on the long journey to this (futuristic) outing in the park?

Otherwise, you may find she just leaves you there to fend for yourself mister.

mig