Back/Neck Pain??? - Don't neglect it...

Spondylitis is becoming common nowadays mostly among people working in IT field (work most of the time in computers). Be aware of it

Ankylosing Spondylitis At A Glance

• Ankylosing spondylitis belongs to a group of arthritis conditions which tend to cause chronic inflammation of the spine (spondyloarthropathies).
• Ankylosing spondylitis affects males two to three times more commonly than females.
• Ankylosing spondylitis is a cause of back pain in adolescents and young adults.
• The tendency to develop ankylosing spondylitis is genetically inherited.
• The HLA-B27 gene can be detected in the blood of most patients with ankylosing spondylitis.
• Ankylosing spondylitis can also affect the eyes, heart, lungs, and occasionally the kidneys.
• The optimal treatment of ankylosing spondylitis involves medications that reduce inflammation or suppress immunity, physical therapy, and exercise.

Please spend few more minutes in reading this....

Spondylitis Overview

Ankylosing Spondylitis Overview
Ankylosing Spondylitis (pronounced ank-kih-low-sing spon-dill-eye-tiss), or AS, is a form of arthritis that primarily affects the spine, although other joints can become involved. It causes inflammation of the spinal joints (vertebrae) that can lead to severe, chronic pain and discomfort. In the most advanced cases (but not in all cases), this inflammation can lead to new bone formation on the spine, causing the spine to fuse in a fixed, immobile position, sometimes creating a forward-stooped posture.

Also this - What Is Ankylosing Spondylitis?

What causes Ankylosing Spondylitis?

Exercise Posture

Exercise

Exercise can be extremely helpful to people with ankylosing spondylitis. A regular exercise program is very important for maintaining strength of muscles and flexibility of joints.
The following exercises are recommended by the National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society in England. Do them once or twice a day, and try to make them part of your normal daily routine. Repeat each of them at least five times.
Floor exercises:

1. Lie on your back with both knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips off the floor as high as possible, hold for five seconds, and lower slowly.
2. Then lift your arms towards the ceiling, with fingers linked together.
3. Keeping your chin tucked in toward your chest, reach both hands toward your knees, lifting your head and shoulders off the floor. Relax.
4. Keeping your chin tucked in, lift your head and shoulders off the floor, and reach both hands towards the outside of your right knee. Repeat to the opposite side.
5. Kneel on all fours. Keeping your elbows straight throughout, tuck your head between your arms and arch your back as high as possible. Then lift your head and round your back the other way as much as possible.
6. Keeping your head up, raise your right arm forward as you raise your left leg backward. Hold for five seconds. Return to all fours and change to raising your left arm and right leg.

Chair exercises:

1. Sit on a stable chair with your feet on the floor, hooked around the legs of the chair. Place your hands by your sides. Hold the chair with your left hand. Bend sideways toward the right as far as possible, without bending forwards, reaching your right hand toward the floor. Repeat to the opposite side.
2. With your hands clasped on your forearms at shoulder level, turn your upper body to the right as far as possible. Repeat to the opposite side.
3. Hold the sides of the chair site. Turn your head to the right as far as possible without letting your shoulders turn. Repeat to the opposite side.
4. Stand facing the chair (for comfort, use one with a padded seat). Place your right heel on the seat, keeping the knee straight, and reach forward as far as possible with both hands toward your foot. Hold for six seconds. Relax. Repeat twice, stretching a little further each time. Repeat with the opposite leg.
5. Face the side of the chair and hold the chair back with your right hand. Bend your right knee and place your right shin on the seat. Place your left foot forward as far as possible. Now place both hands behind your back. Bend your left knee as much as possible, keeping your head up and your back straight. Turn around to face the other side of the chair and repeat with the opposite leg.

Posture exercises:

1. Stand with your back to the wall, shoulders and buttocks against the wall and heels as close to the wall as you can. Tuck your chin in and push the back of your head toward the wall. Keep your shoulders down.
2. Stretch up as tall as possible without lifting your heels. Hold this position. Raise your right arm forward and upward while keeping your elbow straight, your upper arm close to your ear, and your thumb towards the wall. Lower and repeat with the opposite arm.

Need To Know: Swimming is particularly recommended because it does not jar the spine. The buoyancy of the water also makes it easier to move all of the affected joints and muscles.

Yoga Treatment for Ankylosing Spondylitis

Yoga is very effective in treatment of Ankylosing Spondylitis. This mind-body exercise involves meditation, breathing Asanas and some physical postures.

There are many Yoga poses that help in relieving people from stiffness-related pains such as

Dhanura Asana (Bow posture),

The Bow

Makara Asana (Dolphin/Fish pose),

Bhujanga Asana (Snake Pose),

The Cobra

Ardha Matsyendra Asana (Half Spinal Twist),

Half Spinal Twist

Neti Kriya and Vajra Asana (Diamond pose).

These poses remove rigidity and enhance flexibility of the joints. They also correct human body postures. For muscle relaxation, Pranayama (Breathing exercises) is very effective.

Yoga Postures

Also read this

Myths and Facts About Back Pain

http://www.arthritis.org