One day I won’t be able to do this, today is not that day.
Today is #WorldASDay and I headed out into the glorious sunshine to run 5k as I fight the debilitating effects that AS places upon my body. In 2016 I was finally diagnosed with AS after many long years of suffering with arthritis which had specifically affected my back and knees.
Now, along side regular exercise, a healthy diet and biologic drug therapy I am slowly winning the battle to live a normal lifestyle!
Ankylosing Spondylitis is a painful, progressive form of inflammatory arthritis. It mainly affects the spine but can also affect other joints, tendons and ligaments.
Typical symptoms of AS include:
- Slow or gradual onset of back pain and stiffness over weeks or months, rather than hours or days
- Early-morning stiffness and pain, wearing off or reducing during the day with exercise
- Persistence for more than 3 months (as opposed to coming on in short attacks)
- Feeling better after exercise and worse after rest
- Weight loss, especially in the early stages
- Fatigue or tiredness
- Feeling feverish and experiencing night sweats
You can find out more at www.nass.co.uk
