Welcome
AStretch was formed in 2001, in response to a growing appetite amongst health professionals for knowledge regarding Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS, and now Axial Spondyloarthritis, or axial SpA).
We have recently helped our friends at NASS with the “Stretches for your daily life” project. The aim was to create videos of some simple stretches to weave into your day. Please see them on the NASS website:
Selected AStretch team blog posts
Sleep and AS: do we consider the implications of the quality of sleep on our patients?
For several years now as part of my routine assessment of all our AS and Axial SpA patients, I have been asking how well people felt that they had slept over the past week. I use a simple verbal VAS scale from zero to 10 with 10 being ‘I have slept wonderfully’ and...
Fatigue in axial SpA – “feeling drunk with tiredness”
January 2020: If I ask you to describe the overall level of fatigue/tiredness that you have experienced over the past week and to rate it between 0 –10, how would you answer this, and would you be satisfied with your response? We have been asking our patients to...
Zoom Exercise Classes and Adherence
January 2021: January is normally a time to start afresh, set resolutions, goals and aspirations for the year ahead. As physios we motivate and encourage people who come to see us to exercise regularly. EULAR guidelines state: ‘Patients should be educated about axSpA...
MPs are calling for urgent improvements in the care available for patients with axial spondyloarthritis.
A new report reveals worrying gaps in care provision across England. The findings from the inquiry by the APPG (All-Party Parliamentary Group) on Axial Spondyloarthritis, were launched late January by APPG Chair, Derek Thomas MP.
The findings from the APPG inquiry, based on results from Freedom of Information requests answered by 191 Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) and 99 provider Trusts undertaken in 2019, revealed that only 21% have a specific inflammatory back pain pathway in place – without one, rapid referral to specialist care for those with signs and symptoms of axial SpA (AS) is unlikely.
Axial SpA (AS) can have a hugely detrimental impact on a person’s well-being and is associated with significantly increased risk of poor mental health, even when compared with other musculoskeletal conditions. Despite this, only 25% of CCGs provide patients with direct access to psychological services. A fifth of areas in England still do not offer specialist physiotherapy for those with the condition, despite these services being critical in helping individuals manage flare-ups and the chronic stiffness and joint pain that is synonymous with the condition.
The inquiry findings and recommendations on improvements needed can be found in the APPG report, Axial spondyloarthritis services in England, launched late January and available at here.
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Questions and Answers
Pregnancy and AS
This question came from a committee member regarding a patient with AS, who is in her first pregnancy and has been told by her obstetrics team that she is most likely to to need a C-section due to sacroiliac fusion She also has hypermobility with a reported Beighton’s Score of 9/9.
Do you have a question for our committee?
Then please do get in touch
astretch@astretch.co.uk
Recently diagnosed with AS
I have a patient who has recently been diagnosed with AS. His chest expansion is pretty poor and he complains of tightness across the chest, in-keeping with AS symptoms. I have performed basic lung function testing this afternoon using a spirometer and the results were expectedly low. I was wondering if…
About us
AStretch is a not-for-profit private limited company (17070919); our main aim is to provide a co-ordinated approach to the planning and delivery of education and best practice. Also to support physiotherapists working with people who have Axial Spondyloarthritis (AxSpA) and Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS).