Objective: To investigate the effect of the addition of aerobic training to spinal mobility exercises on disease-specific outcomes and functional exercise capacity, aerobic capacity and respiratory muscle strength of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients.
Methods: The study included 31 volunteers (mean age: 44.90 ± 11.52 years) diagnosed with AS. The demographic characteristics and disease-related data of all subjects were recorded, then, the Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Bath AS Metrology Index (BASMI) and Bath AS Disease Function Index (BASFI), the 6-minute walk test, the Bruce Treadmill Test and spirometry were used, respectively. The intervention group attended a 12-week program of aerobic exercise sessions, plus supervised spinal mobility exercises, 3 days a week. The control group performed the supervised spinal mobility exercises only, 3 times a week, for 12 weeks.
Results: There was a significant improvement in BASDAI (p = .002), BASMI (p = .021), 6 DYT (p = .036), VO2 max (p = .000), MIP (p = .005) and MEP (p = .022) results in the intervention group after 12 weeks of training. In the comparisons of the pre-treatment and post-treatment differences, BASDAI (p = .032) decreased and VO2 (p = .001) max increased, showing significant improvements in the intervention group and these values were maintained.
Conclusion: It is striking that improvements in all parameters except BASFI were achieved in the aerobic training group. These results demonstrate that an aerobic exercise program should be included in an individual exercise prescription for the management of AS.
Keywords: Aerobic exercise; ankylosing spondilitis; functional exercise capacity; respiratory muscle strength; spinal mobility exercise.