2. “Ankylos” – Bend or Fusion
“Spondylos” – Vertebral Disc
“Itis” – Inflammation
Inflammatory disease of the spine that causes
stiffening of the back.
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
3. What is Ankylosing Spondylitis ?
It is a chronic painful rheumatic disease that involves
the back i.e. spine and the sacroiliac joints.
It typically begins at the age of adolescence and
rarely seen after the age of 45 yrs.
It is seronegative HLA-B27 spondyloartropathy
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
4. Prevalence & Incidence
Prevalence : from 67.7/100000 to 197/100000
Incidence : 7.3 per 100,000 persons
More common in males
Familial predominance
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
5. Etiology
Age: - Onset is commonest between 15 to 45 years of
age, rarely seen after 45 years
Sex: - Male : Female is 3:1
Incidence: - 0.6% of adult males are affected
Heredity: - The disease occurs 30 times more
commonly in relatives of patients than general
population
Tissue type: - 95% of patients with AS are HLA-B27
positive.
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
10. Clinical Features
Onset – Insidious
Morning stiffness – Common in early stages
Fatigue – This is a common feature in AS
Spinal features –
Pain and stiffness in the lumbar spine
Pain radiating down the back of leg
Lumbar paravertebral muscles spasm
Flattening of lumbar spine
loss of movement and limited SLR
11. Thoracic features –
Diminished costovertebral and manubriosternal
movements result in the loss of thoracic
expansion.
Patient becomes dependent on diaphragm for
respiration and there is reduction of vital
capacity
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
12. Deformity – The common deformities are as
follows: -
Hyperextension of upper cervical spine
Flexion of lower cervical spine
Increased thoracic kyphosis
Flattened lumbar lordosis
Hip flexion deformity
Knee flexion deformity
Peripheral joints – At later stages pain may
develop in: -
Shoulders
Hips
Knees Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
13.
14. Criteria of Ankylosing Spondylitis
Low back pain of at least 3 months,duration improved by
exercise, not relieved by rest
Morning stiffness
Limitation of lumbar spine in sagittal and frontal planes
Reduced chest expansion
Unilateral or Bilateral sacroiliitis
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
15. Physical Examination
Evidence of sacroiliitis – Faber’s test
Expansion of the lumbar spine –Schober test
Chest expansion < below 5 cm
Enthesitis
Posture –forward sloop of the neck, stiffness of the spine,
loss of lumbar lordosis, thoracic kyphosis
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
18. Anthropometric Measurement
According to Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index
(BASMI) commonly used five measurement are as follows: -
Tragus to wall
Modified Schober’s test
Cervical rotation
Lumbar side-flexion
Intermalleolar distance (hip abduction)
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
19. Tragus to wall: -
Starting position: -
The patient stands with bare
feet together and shoulders,
hip and heels as close to the
wall as possible. The chin is
tucked in as far as possible.
Method: -
The distance is measured both
sides with a rigid rule. The
average of the two
measurements is recorded.
Normal= below 10cm
20. Schober’s test (modified)
Starting position: -
This measures the amount of
lumbar spine flexion.The
patient stands bare feet.
Method : -
Draw a line at L4-L5 junction.
Mark 10 cms above and 5
cms below the line. The
patient bends forward. Take
the measurement between
two points. Any increase
beyond 15 cms is the lumbar
flexion.
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
21. Cervical rotation
Starting position: -
The patient lies supine with head at the end of
the plinth and chin tucked in. Ensure shoulders
do not move and the head is not tilted back.
Method: -
Place the goniometer lightly on the head. The
patient rotates his/her head.
Repeat on other side.
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
22. Lumbar side-flexion: -
Starting position: -
The patient stands as straight as possible with bare feet
and back against the wall. The feet are a standardized
distance apart. Keep knees straight and heels on the
floor.
Method: -
Place a long ruler at the outer edge of left foot. The
patient reaches down the ruler to left with fingers
straight keeping shoulders against the wall. Measure the
middle finger tip to floor.
Above 18cm is normal
Repeat on other side.
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
23. Intermalleolar distance: -
Starting position: -
The patient lies supine on the floor with legs
apart, knees in extension and feet turned out.
Method : -
Measure between the medial malleoli.
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
24. Extra skeletal manifestations
Acute anterior uveitis
Cardiovascular disease
Pulmonary disease
Neurological involvement
Renal involvement
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
25. Uveitis
Anterior
Acute and unilateral
Red and painful eye
Photophobia, lacrimation
Attacks usually subside in 4-8 weeks
More common in HLA-B27 positive
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
26. Cardiovascular
May be clinically silent although clinically important
Aortitis
Aortic valve incompetence
Conduction abnormalities
Cardiomegaly
Pericarditis
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
28. Pulmonary disease
Progressive fibrosis of the upper lobes
Eventual secondary colonization with aspergillus
Impaired pulmonary ventilation due to
involvement of thoracic joints
Restrictive lung disease
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
29. Neurologic involvement
Fracture, instability or compression of vertebrae
Ossification of the posterior longitudinal
ligament resulting in compressive myelopathy
Cauda equina syndrome: lumbosacral roots,
pain, sensory loss, urinary & bowel symptoms
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
30. Renal Involvement
Immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy
Secondary amyloidosis
High incidence of prostatitis
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
31. Aims of Physiotherapy for AS patients
Pain relief
Reducing stiffness
Increase of spinal mobility
Increase of chest expansion
Maintaining good posture
Maintain / improve physical function
Maintain / improve well-being
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
32. Types of Physiotherapy
Mainly two types of physiotherapy are
given:-
Individual Therapy
Group Therapy
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
34. Treatment
Regular physiotherapy is very essential in the management of
an AS patient. This helps in moulding the fibrous tissue along
the line of stress, which is continuously formed due to
inflammation. It thus helps in preventing restriction of patient’s
movement.
Relief of pain and muscle spasm may be obtained by local
application of hot packs
Muscle spasm that persist after the acute inflammation has died
down is treated best by hold relax technique.
Relief of pain and muscle spasm together with restoration of
mobility is readily obtained by hydrotherapy
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
35. Hydrotherapy
Float lying: -
Relaxation practice.
Arms and legs pushing down into the water and resting.
Arms stretching sideways and upwards.
Prone lying grasping rail: -
Breast stroke action of the leg
Lying on half-stretcher: -
Leg pushing down
Leg pushing down and out
Deep breathing exercises
Sitting: -
Turning trunk side to side, progress by holding arms forward and
grasping.
Swimming:-
Gradual progression to underwater swimming.
36. Positional Exercises
Lying: -
Physiological relaxation
Practice feeling a position of a straight extended spine.
Push arms and legs into the floor (static contractions for
quadriceps, glutei and back extensors)
Prone lying: -
Alternate straight leg raising and lowering.
Both legs raising and lowering.
Hands clasped behind back, thrust hands towards feet with
head and shoulders raising and relaxing.
Place hands on floor, raise head and shoulders, walk hands to
right and then left (side flexion in extension).
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
37. Lying with knees bent (crook lying): -
Knees rolling from side to side.
Raise right arm upwards and outwards, turn head to
watch hand. Repeat to left.
Deep breathing exercises with hands over upper
abdomen, feel air fill under the hands and then sigh
out feeling the hands sink down to encourage full use
of the diaphragm.
Pelvic tilting forwards and backwards (The ROM is
greater if the pelvis is on a small block).
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
38. Sitting: -
Stretch hand and neck upwards, posture correction.
Hands on shoulders, trunk turning from side to side.
Hands clasp, bend and twist to touch the right foot stretch
upwards and backwards to the left watching hands. Repeat to
opposite side.
Head and neck turning from side to side.
Standing: -
Hands on shoulders – trunk turning from side to side.
Deep breathing
Trunk bending from side to side.
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
39. Mobility Exercises
Lumbar flexion – extension
Lumbar side – flexion
Thoracic rotation
Thoracic extension
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
54. Group Physiotherapy should
comprise of:
Exercises given previously
Overhead ball throwing to partner
Prone lying (over gymnastic ball supported on
hands) stretch leg upwards and backwards.
Stride standing, pass ball to partner with trunk
turning.
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
55. Sports to be encouraged
Swimming
Basketball
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR
56. Advantages of Group Therapy
Patients offer mutual support
Competition provides enjoyment at the same
time promotes physical fitness.
A forum is available for educational lectures on
research, diet and cardiovascular fitness.
Dr Gurjant Singh, Assistant
Professor, MMIPR