5 Exercises for Ankylosing Spondylitis

• Better fitness and mobility, which in turn helps you deal with your symptoms better
• Reduced stiffness and pain
• Better posture
• Better sleep
• Better cardiovascular health
• Stronger muscles

• Check with your doctor or physiotherapist first before starting a new workout plan, especially if you’re unsure if you can do the exercises.
• Warm up before doing any exercise.
• Avoid high-impact exercise during a flare.
• Stop the exercise if it’s causing a flare-up.

Should You Exercise During a Flare?

“If you’re experiencing pain during a workout,” says Senicola, “take a moment to take a step back and assess, ‘Is this typical soreness because you did an exercise routine that was new the day before? If that’s not the case, and you’re feeling pain, take a pause and speak to your healthcare provider.”

It’s also a good idea to start with small exercises and gradually build up. “Always take it slow, and listen to your body,” says Senicola.

These five exercises and videos can help you get started.

This mobility and flexibility exercise can help improve or maintain how well you are able to rotate your trunk.

1. Start by sitting sideways on an armless chair. Keep your feet on the floor, hip distance apart, and engage your core muscles.
2. Slowly start to rotate your trunk to the right, toward the back of your chair, and grab the back of the chair with both hands. Try to maintain good posture throughout the movement.
3. Slowly turn back to your initial position. Sit sideways on the other side of the chair, and repeat on the opposite side.

“Low-impact workouts are great for anyone with ankylosing spondylitis, as they don’t put added stress or pressure on the back or spine.”

— Kelsey Wells

1. Start by lying on your back on your mat or towel with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Place your palms down on the mat or towel.
2. Slowly lift your pelvis and your lower back off the floor until you reach a bridging position, with your tummy and your thighs forming one continuous line.
3. Hold the position for 5 seconds, then slowly descend, one vertebrae at a time.

For more strengthening exercises, check out this lower-body workout video that you can easily do on your lunch break — or whenever you have 15 to 20 minutes to spare. The focus is on building strength in your glutes, quads, and hamstrings to help improve stability in your legs and hips, which can help you move more easily and take strain off your spine if you have AS.

Even better? All the moves are low impact — no jumping involved! “Low-impact workouts are great for anyone with AS, as they don’t put added stress or pressure on the back or spine,” says Wells.

1. Get on all fours on your mat. Make sure your hands are shoulder distance apart and directly under your shoulders, and your knees are hip distance apart and directly under your hips.
2. Pull your belly button in toward your spine, engaging your core and keeping your abs tight.
3. Slowly raise and extend your right arm in front of you and your left leg behind you, keeping them parallel with the floor. Aim for a straight line connecting your arm, leg, neck, and back.
4. Hold this pose for 5 to 6 seconds, trying not to twist your body in any way. Over time, you can progress to holding the pose for 10 to 30 seconds.
5. Lower your arm and leg, then repeat with your other arm and leg.
6. Repeat 5 times on each side.

For more strength exercises, try this full-body workout that engages your major muscle groups to help keep your body in a strong and stable posture — no equipment required.

1. Stand tall, with good posture and your feet firmly planted on the floor.
2. Lift your right foot off the floor, bringing your right knee up toward your chest. At the same time, lift your left arm and extend it over your head.
3. Bring your right foot and left arm back down, and swap, lifting your left foot off the floor and bringing your left knee up toward your chest while extending your right arm over your head.
4. Keep alternating between the two, gradually increasing your speed. Try not to stomp your feet, as this can increase the movement’s impact on joints. Keep going for about 30 seconds, and increase the duration gradually over time.

1. Get on all fours on your mat, keeping your hands and knees in the same position as in the Bird Dog exercise above.
2. Keep your arms straight and look toward the floor, allowing your head to relax. Slowly inhale while turning your gaze upward and arching your back as high as feels comfortable. Allow your belly to drop toward the floor.
3. Exhale, drawing your chin toward your chest and curling your back up toward the ceiling until you feel a stretch in your upper, middle, and lower back. Relax your head and hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.
4. Alternate between these arched and curled positions two to four times, ensuring the movements flow smoothly. Remember to inhale and exhale throughout.

Another component of yoga is the mind-body connection.

“We all feel stressed sometimes,” says Bonanno. “Movement that helps us focus on our mind and body connection, such as yoga, is a great way to boost your mood and relieve stress.”

In the following video, Bonanno demonstrates more yoga poses that help open your shoulders and hips, which can get particularly tight in people with AS. So, put on some soothing music, set your intention, and focus on your breathing as you move through this yoga flow.

Finding ways to relax (such as yoga) is one of the key tips recommended by NASS for living well with AS and relieving your symptoms.

• Try not to sit for prolonged periods of time. If you do, try to move your spine regularly or break your sitting with little walks and stretches.
• Try to sleep comfortably, ideally on a medium-firm mattress, and use pillows that can take the shape of your body.
• Try hot baths or showers to relieve pain, or apply ice packs if you have inflamed areas.
• Eat a diet consisting of at least four portions of vegetables and two servings of fruit every day, with plenty of whole grains and healthy sources of protein.
• Don’t smoke; if you do, quit.
• Be patient and kind to yourself. Take the time to discover what eases your symptoms and what works for you.

• Physical activity is a key component of managing ankylosing spondylitis (AS) symptoms, and can build and maintain strength, mobility, and flexibility.
• It's safe for people who have AS to exercise, but if you have any doubts or concerns you should speak to a doctor before beginning a new exercise routine.
• It’s important to use proper form when performing any exercise, and to build up the difficulty of movements gradually over time.
• If any exercise causes your symptoms to flare up, stop and consult a doctor before resuming the exercise.