C’mon! Get your friends moving and start walking. We’re taking steps to cure the world of a painful spine disease that can afflict its victims in early adulthood.
May 7th was World Ankylosing Spondylitis Day and the “Walk Your AS Off” virtual walking event to support and raise awareness of ankylosing spondylitis (AS).
The event is sponsored by Walk AS One, an all-volunteer organization that mobilizes and motivates a global community to raise awareness and address the challenges of those affected by ankylosing spondylitis and its family of related diseases.
The 5th annual event is a “virtual” walking event which simply means that participants walk where they work and live, and on their own schedule. There is no need to attend an event.
“Walk Your AS Off” Team Members track their daily steps and as a part of a larger virtual group, then set and of course, reach their common goal. The virtual walking event draws people and teams from around the world united in their goal of beating AS.
Ankylosing spondylitis is an incurable, chronic inflammatory disease of the spine. AS causes the vertebrae in the spine to fuse together. The resulting loss of flexibility can create a posture that is hunched-forward. This forward curving of the spine is known as kyphosis and is one of many complications of this serious disease.
The most common presenting feature of AS is the involvement of the sacroiliac joint or SI joint. Each of us has two of these joints and they are found on either side of the bone at the bottom of your spine where it connects to your pelvis.
The SI joint is the human body’s suspension system providing both spinal shock absorption and stability during mobility. When we walk, run or jump, we depend on the sacroiliac joint to keep us upright and moving smoothly.
The toll on the patient is progressive and debilitating. AS causes inflammation of the spinal joints and ligaments. The body creates calcium in reaction the inflammation which in turn, calcifies on the vertebrae causing them to fuse together.
“Every time I move my hips it’s like I’m being electrocuted,” says Poppy Lang, 20. She had to give up her love of long-distance running due to the pain.
To make matters worse
it takes an average of nine years to diagnose
ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS.
The video below tells the story of another sufferer of ankylosing spondylitis, Steffi. This video follows Steffi around on a typical day for her. You’ll see the challenges this disease causes for its patients.
