Rethinking Mobility and Stretching with Ankylosing Spondylitis
One of the most important shifts I’ve had to make in living with Ankylosing Spondylitis is rethinking mobility and stretching to suit the condition. Over time, I noticed my movements becoming increasingly robotic—less fluid, more restricted. This isn’t just a minor inconvenience; it’s the reality of living with a condition that progressively affects major joints, especially in the back, hips, and neck.
If you’re just starting out, you can read more about how I manage overall AS pain relief, but here I want to focus on mobility and movement.
A Step-by-Step Approach to Everyday Movements
The key is strategy. You can’t move the way you once did—without thought, in full-flow movements. For me, every motion has become something of a conscious process. Whether it’s getting into bed or standing up from a chair, I’ve learned to break each movement down into manageable steps. This mindset has helped me manage my daily AS pain.
Take something as basic as getting into bed:
Turn with your back to the bed.
Sit down gently.
Lower yourself onto your side while lifting your legs.
Then roll onto your back, if needed.
And getting up is just the reverse:
Roll to your side.
Push yourself into a seated position.
Stand up slowly, using your thighs and glutes for strength—not just momentum.
By doing this, I protect my spine, hips, and neck from sudden strain. I also avoid the risk of awkward twists or jerks that can set off a flare-up or cause injury. It might sound tedious, but once it becomes routine, it feels natural.
Losing Flexibility but Gaining Strength
There’s no escaping the fact that AS will reduce your flexibility to some degree. But in its place, I’ve found a surprising benefit: strength. Because you have to rely more on your major muscle groups—like the legs, glutes, and core—you end up developing strength where many people neglect it. Getting up becomes like doing a controlled squat. Every movement becomes an opportunity to engage and train your body.
Of course, you won’t be doing ballet or backflips anymore, but if you approach movement with thought and intention, you can still live well and independently.
Daily Stretching and Strengthening Routine
Stretching has become an essential part of my mornings. As soon as I sit up, I raise my arms above my head and stretch them wide. Then I work through the joints:
Ankle rolls
Knee bends
Hamstring stretches
Gentle side bends
Spinal twists (sitting or standing, legs still, turning torso side to side)
Neck stretches—left, right, up, down
Chin tucks and neck rolls (carefully)
This routine keeps my muscles active and my posture in check. And posture is crucial. If you neglect it, you risk developing a stooped back or bent hips, which further strain your body and worsen the cycle of pain. Strengthening the core, back, and hips helps counter this.
Programming Yourself for Movement
Living with AS sometimes feels like becoming your own programmer. You visualise every move before doing it and then break it down step-by-step—almost like uploading instructions to a machine. It’s a different way of living, but it’s become second nature for me.
And once this mindset clicks, it extends to everything—getting on a bike, into a car, over a small obstacle. The point is not to avoid movement, but to adapt it. And over time, these adaptations become tools for strength, confidence, and independence.
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