The results of this review suggest that an individual home-based or supervised exercise program is better than no intervention ; that supervised group physiotherapy is better than home exercises ; and that combined inpatient spa-exercise therapy followed by group physiotherapy is better than group physiotherapy alone
BACKGROUND Ankylosing spondylitis ( AS ) is a chronic , inflammatory rheumatic disease .
Physiotherapy is considered an important part of the overall management of AS .
OBJECTIVES To summarise the available scientific evidence on the effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions in the management of AS .
Continuation of group physical therapy is necessary in ankylosing spondylitis: results of a randomized controlled trial.
PURPOSE Group physical therapy in patients with ankylosing spondylitis was studied to determine whether beneficial effects persisted after cessation of the intervention . METHODS After a 9-month period of supervised group physical therapy , 68 patients were r and omized for another 9 months to unsupervised daily exercises at home ( discontinuation group ) or continuation of weekly sessions of supervised group physical therapy ( continuation group ) . Endpoints were spinal mobility ( thoraco-lumbar flexion and extension , chest expansion , cervical rotation ) , fitness ( maximum work capacity ) , functioning ( Sickness Impact Profile ( SIP ) , Health Assessment Question naire for the Spondylarthropathies [ HAQ-S ] , Functional Index [ FI ] ) , and patient 's global health assessment on a visual analogue scale . RESULTS Time for exercises at home was significantly higher in the continuation than in the discontinuation group ( mean duration 1.9 versus 1.2 hr per week , P < 0.05 ) . The continuation group improved in global health ( mean improvement 1.6 ; 32 % ) and in SIP score . Scores for thoraco-lumbar mobility and HAQ-S did not change very much , whereas chest expansion , cervical rotation , fitness , and FI deteriorated . The average attendance for group therapy sessions was 62 % . The discontinuation group improved only marginally ( 0.2 ; 4 % ) in global health , whereas all other endpoints decreased . Only for global health and HAQ-S were the differences statistically significant in favor of the continuation group . CONCLUSIONS Global health and functioning are sustained or even improved further if group physical therapy is continued . Spinal mobility decreased slightly in both groups
The results of this review suggest that an individual home-based or supervised exercise program is better than no intervention ; that supervised group physiotherapy is better than home exercises ; and that combined inpatient spa-exercise therapy followed by group physiotherapy is better than group physiotherapy alone
BACKGROUND Ankylosing spondylitis ( AS ) is a chronic , inflammatory rheumatic disease .
Physiotherapy is considered an important part of the overall management of AS .
OBJECTIVES To summarise the available scientific evidence on the effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions in the management of AS .