About 1% of the US population has axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), a rare form of inflammatory arthritis that can cause severe joint pain, muscle spasms, stiffness, and discomfort throughout the body.
There are two main subtypes. Those with non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) experience symptoms, but their spinal inflammation doesn’t appear on X-rays. However, with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a more advanced form of the condition, inflammation is visible on X-ray imaging, and over time the spine’s vertebrae may begin to fuse.
No matter which type of axSpA you have, you know that managing the symptoms can play a significant role in your day-to-day life. Although medication is often a piece of the treatment puzzle, many people also turn to self-care strategies and lifestyle modifications to help alleviate pain, reduce flares, and support their physical and mental well-being. We spoke with four people who have axSpA about the strategies they use to manage and prevent flares, which just might work for you too.
1. Lean into movement, even when it feels a bit uncomfortable.
When your body feels stiff, swollen, and achy, it can seem counterintuitive to exercise. However, for many people with axSpA, gentle movement is precisely what helps loosen their joints, reduce pain, and prevent flares.
“The more I sit around and don’t move my body, the more I feel myself stiffen up,” says Steven Rowland, 38, a fantasy author living with axSpA in St. Louis, Missouri. That’s why he commits to regular weight training and 15 minutes of yin yoga at least five nights a week. This type of yoga practice involves holding passive poses for extended periods and engaging in deep breathing to stretch the muscles and release tension. He also walks his dog for nearly a mile three times a day, which helps keep his body limber.
Amanda Vaught, 29, a health care administrator in Columbus, Ohio, who lives with nr-axSpA, also leans on walking and yin yoga, along with doing light weight training with her physical therapist, though it’s taken time to build up to where she is now. “I was just telling my physical therapist that one year ago I could only walk on the treadmill for three minutes—I was in so much pain,” she recalls. “Now I can walk two miles, and I can bend over comfortably. I’m also doing deadlifts with 10 pounds.”
Still, it’s important to note that those with axSpA need to be careful not to overdo it because pushing too hard during a workout can backfire. But with patience, consistency can pay off. After more than a year of steady weight training, Rowland recently added CrossFit to his workout routine. “I feel like I’m at a pretty good level of fitness at the moment, but it’s definitely taken me a while to get back here,” he says.
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2. Use cold or heat to ease discomfort.
Sometimes the simplest remedies are the most effective. Take Charie Wyatt, 49, a former airline employee from Catonsville, Maryland. When she has AS flares, she often feels like she has the flu and experiences symptoms like full-body aches, muscle cramping, and joint stiffness in her hands, feet, and knees. For her, heat therapy has been a lifeline. “I love going to a warm pool or taking a warm bath, going to a sauna, or getting in a Jacuzzi,” Wyatt says.
