Physical therapy, exercise still relevant for ankylosing spondylitis

The ACSM recommends moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise for 30 minutes or more each day or 150 minutes per week, resistance training, neuromotor exercise, and flexibility training at least twice each week.

In a 2011 literature review published in Arthritis Care & Research, researchers analyzed 12 studies (826 total patients) to find out if exercise had actual potential for patients with ankylosing spondylitis. They used three criteria: whether the programs were designed using ACSM recommendations, if/how physiological responses were measured, and whether adherence to programs was monitored.

Of the 12 trials, 5 included cardiovascular exercise, 5 included strength training, 11 included flexibility, and 4 reported program adherence.

Only one trial met ACSM recommendations for intensity, duration, frequency, and length of exercise period. That trial showed the greatest improvement in aerobic capacity (Arthritis Car Res. 2011 Apr;63[4]:597-603).