Romanowski M.1
1Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Department of Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Poznan, Poland
Background: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affecting joints and ligamentous attachments of axial skeleton. This condition mainly affects the axial skeleton including the sacroiliac joints, spine joints, ligaments, and intervertebral discs and it may also involve the peripheral joints, and specific organ like eyes, and. The prevalence of AS is between 0,1-1,4%. Men are more often affected than are women, with a ratio of roughly 2 to 1. About 80% of patients develop the first symptoms at an age younger than 30 years, and less than 5% of patients present at older than 45 years.
Exercise therapy (strengthening and flexibility exercises), the most frequently used physiotherapy intervention, is an important and effective treatment method in AS patient. Self‐myofascial release (SMR) is a popular intervention used to enhance a patient´s flexibility and myofascial mobility. For this purpose foam roll (FR) can be used. Currently, there is no data that have appraised the effects of foam roll on range of motion (ROM) of lumbar spine and hip joints and pain relief in AS patient.
Exercise therapy (strengthening and flexibility exercises), the most frequently used physiotherapy intervention, is an important and effective treatment method in AS patient. Self‐myofascial release (SMR) is a popular intervention used to enhance a patient´s flexibility and myofascial mobility. For this purpose foam roll (FR) can be used. Currently, there is no data that have appraised the effects of foam roll on range of motion (ROM) of lumbar spine and hip joints and pain relief in AS patient.
Purpose: The objective of this study was to understand the effectiveness of FR as a tool for increasing ROM of lumbar spine and hip joints and back pain relief in AS patient.
Methods: Twenty one AS patients were randomly assigned into the control (n = 10) or FR (n = 11) group. All the subjects followed the same 45 min exercise program (breathing exercises, isometric exercises, strengthening exercises, stretching exercises) each day. The only between-group difference was that the FR group performed a 20-min FR exercise protocol at the end of each exercise session.
ROM of lumbar spine and hip joints was assessed by lateral spinal flexion (LSF), modified Schober (MS), maximal intermalleolar distance (MID). Back pain intensity was evaluated by Numerical Rating Scale (NRS). The evaluation was performed before and after 9 days of therapy.
Results: Both groups control and FR, showed an significant improvement in each of the outcome measures: ROM of lumbar spine and hip joint (LSF, MS, MID), as well as in back pain intensity (NRS). The intergroup comparison between the improvement (prepost scores) in both groups showed that the FR group obtained a greater improvement than the control group in MS, LSF and NRS.
Conclusion(s): The results of this research suggests that both exercise therapy and foam rolling may be effective interventions for enhancing joint ROM and relieving pain in AS patients. however exercise followed by foam rolling are significantly more effective. Further studies are necessary.
Implications: Results from this research encourage further research of foam roller in comprehensive Physiotherapy of AS patient.
Funding acknowledgements: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Topic: Rheumatology
Ethics approval: This study was approved by the Bioethics Committee of the University of Medical Sciences in Poznan.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
