Exercise is an important part of staying healthy, but it can be imperative to the flexibility and movement of people with spondylitis. If you have this condition, you need to know how to determine the right amount of exercise. With proper precautions, it's possible to control symptoms and work out safely.
Description
Spondylitis describes a group of diseases that affect the spine and joints. Reactive arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, enteropathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and undifferentiated SpA are diseases included in this grouping. SpA usually onsets between the ages of 15 to 35 and is predominantly a male disease. Men and women are equally afflicted with psoriatic arthritis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the National Arthritis Data Work group estimates that 2.4 million people in the United States are afflicted with spondylitis.
Symptoms
Spondylitis diseases have a variety of symptoms, but according to the Spondylitis Association of America, all include inflammatory arthritis of the spine, sacroiliac and other joints of the body. Inflammation where the ligaments attach to the bone is called enthesopathy and is a trait spondylitis diseases share. Spondylitis usually occurs in multiple family members and is diagnosed only when testing markers that are found in other types of arthritis do not exist. These markers include lumps under the skin and positive blood test for the rheumatoid factor.
Exercise and Spondylitis
Good posture and pain medication are two ways to live with spondylitis, but exercise needs to be part of your daily routine when faced with one of these diseases. The Spondylitis Association of America states that many health benefits can be achieved when you prioritize exercise, even if only for five to 10 minutes. These benefits include pain management, good posture and flexibility maintenance. It is possible for spondylitis patients to regain good posture and mobility with proper doses of medicine and exercise. Find the balance between enough exercise but not too much by never pushing yourself to the point that you experience pain or extreme fatigue. Consult your health care provider before beginning any exercise program.
Timing is Everything
Exercise at the time of day that your body is most agreeable. The time when you experience the most stiffness, typically the morning, might be when you start stretching to help loosen up, then exercise when you have the most energy, which might be afternoon or evening. It might be necessary to split your exercise into two times during the day. Working on different parts of your body at different times is as effective as doing it all at one time.
Diet
The Spondylitis Association of America reports that certain foods have been known to trigger changes in symptoms for some spondylitis patients. These changes can be for better or worse, so keeping a food diary and noting if certain foods affect how you feel might prove useful. People with spondylitis are at higher risk for osteoporosis and following a diet enriched with calcium and vitamin D will help reduce this risk. The use of alcohol can weaken bones and should be avoided by spondylitis patients.
