[Closed] Ankylosing Spondylitis and mountain biking.

I do have it although not severely. Riding helps, as does keeping active. I take Ketoprofen each night, otherwise my back/neck/hips etc stiffens up during the night leading to me not sleeping well and having a bad day the next day. I commute to work on a bike (and ride according to my wife excessively). I mountain bike and do 6-7 marathon races a year.

It definitely flares up after a solid stack so try to keep the bike rubber side down. I also try not to spend a lot of time during the day sitting around. If I have a day stuck in the office it definately plays up more, as it does after sessions playing on the PS3 (try to avoid this and get out for a ride instead).

It goes through phases definitely, winter is worse for pains but they tend to go once I loosen up on the bike. I don't think I have any vertebral fusions though (although I do get a fair bit of back pain when not on anti-inflams). Hips sometimes play up. My father had both his hips done a few years ago (agaed 65ish) as did his sister before that.

Good luck with it.

Thanks stevego, that's all good stuff! Out of interest, have you found any differences, good or bad, with different bikes - HT/FS/road etc. ?

I did go and see a specialist rheumatologist early on. He was very helpful, tried different anti-inflams, found oravail SR worked best for me. I've been on them now for a good 5 years or so. I get blood tests about once a year to ensure they aren't doing me any harm (wife is a GP so that makes it easier). Was given a set of stretches to do every day, to be honest I do them irregularly.

Hi

I have it though not severely. Many years ago when I raced hardtail (90's) I suffered terribly to the point of having to get off mid race and stretch. Then Marin started the full suspension thing and I found it really helped.

In the last 3 years due to a different injury I found a physio who pointed me in the right direction in sorting out my pelvic tilt through posture correction exercises. This has massively helped and I now ride a hardtail with no problems.

Good luck

On bikes, I ride a full susser, XC 100mm travel 29-er, I think I'd suffer a bit on a hardtail over long distances. I find I do get back and neck pain on my roadie on long (120+) km rides although that may be due to posture/the way I ride it rather than the AS.

I suffered terribly to the point of having to get off mid race and stretch

This happened to me 30 mins into my first lap of 10UTB last year. At the time, not knowing any better, I put it down to 'a bad back from rugby and not warming up properly' 🙂

I bought a new hardtail last year, not a particularly stretched out one either, but I did find moving the bars higher up the steerer has helped with comfort while climbing.

I also have the condition, diagnosed at age 23, now aged 40. The medication I take keeps the condition under control (sulfazalzine and naproxen) I have only ever ridden a HT and have done plenty of all day epics in the lakes/trail centres/weekend tours and have no issues with the bike or the type of riding. It affects different people in different ways I guess. I do tend to get more flare ups in winter and I have trouble turning my neck all the way to look behind me for traffic to my right and sometimes long hours spent crouched over the handlebars means that I'll be spend the first 10 mins off the bike stretching back to normal, but that happens with long hours sat down too.

Some other not so nice things to think about for you and your future. From anecdotal evidence I've seen cancer seems to strike those with the condition more feverently, my father died from cancer at aged 52 and his father at a similar age before him. I've read a few articles online which might suggest this too and it was my consultant who pointed it out to me, but there has never been decent research into the link. Also, it is genetic and it is far more likely to affect the men in your family, do you have a son? The good news is with regular exercise and medication it shouldn't affect your day to day life. 🙂

Swimming breaststroke has always given me a stiff neck, but again, I only ever thought this was just the typical post rugby playing bad back etc.

I read something about a nasty eye inflammation you can be probe to, that doesn't sound nice, but otherwise I'm not overly worried - it's only being diagnosed and knowing what it is that's new to me, not the pain itself, which has been going on for 10+ years since my mid 20s - but obviously now I know I'm keen to hear how others get on with it, and what sort of things help.

Two sons, so guess that's something to watch as they get older.

The dogs and I off out now to ride the wrong way up the Devils Staircase descent, then back down again, so that's definitely complying with the doc's instructions to 'keep active' 🙂

I have it, diagnosed about 6-7 (maybe longer) years ago after suffering from severe hip pain i.e. painful to walk let alone do anything more active. I suffer more when I don't exercise (as is the case now!) and can find it difficult / embarrassing to actually get on and off the bike.

The eye condition that you mention is I think iritis (uvitis sp?). I've had that three or four times and if you get it you need to get seen at an eye clinic pronto. Last episode led to next to zero vision in one eye within three days of 'getting that feeling'! It is very treatable as long as it gets seen to early.

I am now having fortnightly Humira injections (get to stab myself) and still take sulphasalazine, methotexate etc. For me it has been transformational (the Humira bit) and I now take anti-inflams rarely. There are strict NICE guidelines that must be met before you will get Humira as it is expensive. You almost have to degenerate to a certain level before they will prescribe it. However, it works for me and I consider myself lucky to be getting it although I was persistent and bloody minded and never stopped chasing for it. I had regular NHS physio for years including acupuncture and all of that helped. Never underestimate the 'self-help' element i.e. keep up the stretches etc esp if you are a desk jockey like me!

EDIT - biggest pain for me has been the monthly blood tests as its very difficult to get convenient appointments. My GP has been less than helpful and has until recently refused to issue more than one blood form at a time. That seems to be changing and getting a few at a time means that I can just pop into the hospital at a time that fits in with work and am out again in 5 minutes.

The eye condition that you mention is I think iritis (uvitis sp?)

I've had this infrequently over the last 10 years although in the last 18 months I've had 5 flare-ups (in the middle of one right now as it happens!) The docs have been unable to pinpoint a cause but I've noticed some mild back pain with the latest one so I guess that points to AS... should probably get down the docs to discuss it I suppose.

FWIW the first time I had iritis it was a few days before I got it looked at and it was pretty seriously painful by that point so if you do get one red eye with photophobia I'd get it checked out literally ASAP. I always keep an unopened bottle of the drops now so I can start medicating as soon as I feel the symptoms so it never progresses to the painful stage any more.

cb, that sounds very unpleasant. In terms of activity I'm a good way yet from there. While the back pain is nothing new, knowing what it is is new. It would be impossible for me to define any deterioration at the moment.

Iritis, yes that's the one I read about. Thanks for the warnings above!