Ankylosing Spondylitis
What is it?
Ankylosing Spondylitis is a disease that causes inflammation of the spinal vertebrae and other joints. It affects up to 2% of Australians. It is a member of the rheumatic diseases and is associated with the presence of a genetic marker HLA-B27.
Chronic inflammation of the spinal joints causes the joints to produce extra bone formation, which leads to disruption of spinal alignment and may eventually lead to a bony fusion between the vertebrae.
What is the cause?
There is no known cause of Ankylosing Spondylitis however the presence of a genetic marker HLA-B27 appears to significantly increase the risk of developing this condition.
Signs & Symptoms
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Back pain
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Spinal stiffness, especially in the morning
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Stiffness in hips
What can we do about it?
The therapists at Sports and Spine Physiotherapy will identify whether your back pain is inflammatory or not and refer you to the appropriate expert if required.
A spinal decompression and core strengthening exercise program will be developed to help prevent any re-occurrence of symptoms and appropriate manual therapy will be used.