Ankylosing Spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis is a condition in the musculoskeletal category.
Ankylosing spondylitis is a condition in the musculoskeletal category.
This list shows research findings, not treatments. Nothing here replaces medical care. If you have this condition, talk to a doctor.
What may help
What studies found for each option, best evidence first.
11 options:1 good evidence3 some evidence7 not enough evidence
PilatespracticeGood evidence it helpsSize of effect: Not known
Good human studies found a benefit, and they mostly agree. This is about what studies measured, not a cure.
All 3 studies with a clear result found a benefit.
A 2022 RCT in 40 people found that aqua-based Pilates improved pain, function, quality of life, and spinal ROM compared with control. A 2024 review also reported improvements in spinal ROM, pain, function, and quality of life with Aqua Pilates.
Open the Pilates pageAcupuncturepracticeSome evidence it helpsSize of effect: Not known
Some human studies found a benefit. More research could change this.
All 2 studies with a clear result found a benefit.
Pooled analyses of randomized trials reported improvements in disease activity, pain, function, inflammatory markers, and morning stiffness. The reported benefits included acupuncture used alone or alongside other treatment.
Open the Acupuncture pageCupping TherapypracticeSome evidence it helpsSize of effect: Not known
Some human studies found a benefit. More research could change this.
All 2 studies with a clear result found a benefit.
A 2021 review described favorable BASFI and BASDAI outcomes when cupping was combined with Western medicine, but characterized the overall evidence as weak. The pooled treatment effects reported in another review do not establish which specific outcomes changed.
Open the Cupping Therapy pageQigongpracticeSome evidence it helpsSize of effect: Not known
Some human studies found a benefit. More research could change this.
All 2 studies with a clear result found a benefit.
A randomized trial in 59 people with Ankylosing Spondylitis reported improvements in fatigue, mobility, chest expansion, sleep and function. An earlier review protocol stated that efficacy was not yet established.
Open the Qigong pageSwimmingpracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
The one study found a benefit.
Ankylosing Spondylitis was included in an overall analysis reporting benefit, but the pooled analyses whose study designs were not recorded reported limited condition-specific results.
Open the Swimming pageCardiopracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
The one study found a benefit.
A pooled analysis whose designs were not recorded, involving 1,757 patients, reported reduced disease activity and improvements in spinal mobility and chest expansion with exercise, including aerobic exercise.
Open the Cardio pageHigh-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)practiceNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
The one study found a benefit.
A 2025 review of randomized trials reported that HIIT improved cardiorespiratory fitness and health-related quality of life without worsening disease activity.
Open the High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) pageAcceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)practiceNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
The one study found a benefit.
In one unblinded randomized trial involving 136 people with Ankylosing Spondylitis, several disease-activity, physical-function, and health-impact measures improved. The primary measure of pain interference did not show a statistically significant improvement.
Open the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) page
The expert view shows every study, dose protocol and source.
What may help
Interventions recorded as helping with this condition11 listedHighest probability, strongest evidence
- →PracticesPilatesCertaintyHighSourceClinical
A 2022 RCT in 40 people found that aqua-based Pilates improved pain, function, quality of life, and spinal ROM compared with control. A 2024 review also reported improvements in spinal ROM, pain, function, and quality of life with Aqua Pilates.
Who was studied
- People with a condition
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Scoliosis
Open PilatesStudy result
Gandomi study showed Aqua Pilates improved spinal ROM, pain, function, and QoL
Medium probability(3)
- →PracticesAcupunctureCertaintyMediumSourceRCT
Pooled analyses of randomized trials reported improvements in disease activity, pain, function, inflammatory markers, and morning stiffness. The reported benefits included acupuncture used alone or alongside other treatment.
Who was studied
- People with a condition
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
Open AcupunctureStudy result
Meta-analysis of 35 RCTs showing significant improvements in disease activity, function, pain, and inflammatory markers.
- →PracticesCupping TherapyCertaintyMediumSourceClinical
A 2021 review described favorable BASFI and BASDAI outcomes when cupping was combined with Western medicine, but characterized the overall evidence as weak. The pooled treatment effects reported in another review do not establish which specific outcomes changed.
Who was studied
- People with a condition
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Chronic Urticaria
- Gout
- Herpes Zoster
- Hypertension
- Migraine
- +6 more
Open Cupping TherapyStudy result
Statistically significant pooled treatment effects in systematic reviews
- →PracticesQigongCertaintyMediumSourceClinical
A randomized trial in 59 people with Ankylosing Spondylitis reported improvements in fatigue, mobility, chest expansion, sleep and function. An earlier review protocol stated that efficacy was not yet established.
Who was studied
- People with a condition
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
Open QigongStudy result
The protocol states that traditional qigong exercise has potential therapeutic advantages for AS, but evidence is not yet established; the systematic review aims to evaluate efficacy.
Low probability(7)
- →PracticesSwimmingCertaintyLowSourceMeta-analysis
Ankylosing Spondylitis was included in an overall analysis reporting benefit, but the pooled analyses whose study designs were not recorded reported limited condition-specific results.
Open SwimmingStudy result
Included in the overall analysis showing benefit, but limited subgroup-specific data reported.
- →PracticesCardioCertaintyLowSourceRCT
A pooled analysis whose designs were not recorded, involving 1,757 patients, reported reduced disease activity and improvements in spinal mobility and chest expansion with exercise, including aerobic exercise.
Who was studied
- People with a condition
Open CardioStudy result
NMA of 32 RCTs (1,757 patients) showing exercise, including aerobic exercise, effectively reduces disease activity (BASDAI), improves spinal mobility (BASMI) and chest expansion, and is well tolerated with a reliable safety profile.
- →PracticesHigh-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)CertaintyLowSourceRCT
A 2025 review of randomized trials reported that HIIT improved cardiorespiratory fitness and health-related quality of life without worsening disease activity.
Who was studied
- People with a condition
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Psoriatic Arthritis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
Open High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)Study result
Systematic review of 9 RCTs showing HIIT safe and beneficial for CRF and HRQoL without exacerbating disease activity.
- →PracticesAcceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)CertaintyLowSourceClinical
In one unblinded randomized trial involving 136 people with Ankylosing Spondylitis, several disease-activity, physical-function, and health-impact measures improved. The primary measure of pain interference did not show a statistically significant improvement.
Who was studied
- People with a condition
Open Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Study result
Single unblinded RCT (n=136) showed significant improvements in BASDAI, BASFI, PhGA, PainDETECT, and ASAS-HI; primary MPI pain-interference improvement did not reach statistical significance (95% CI crossed zero).
- →PracticesInfrared SaunaCertaintyLowSourceClinical
A 2009 single-arm pilot study reported good tolerance and short-term improvements in pain and stiffness among 17 people with ankylosing spondylitis.
Who was studied
- People with a condition
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
Open Infrared SaunaStudy result
Pilot single-arm study in 17 AS patients showing good tolerance and short-term pain and stiffness improvement
- →PracticesWim Hof Method BreathingCertaintyLowSourceClinical
One randomized trial reported decreases in ESR, ASDAS-CRP and calprotectin during 8-week Wim Hof Method training. The finding comes from a review of randomized and non-randomized human studies.
Who was studied
- Healthy people and patients
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
Open Wim Hof Method BreathingStudy result
One RCT (Buijze et al., 2019) showed significant decreases in inflammatory markers (ESR, ASDAS-CRP, calprotectin) during 8-week WHM training.
- →PracticesYogaCertaintyLowSourceClinical
A trial tested Yoga-based exercise combined with aerobic exercise in 51 people with ankylosing spondylitis.
Who was studied
- People with a condition
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
Open YogaStudy result
Study population of 51 patients with AS; yoga-based plus aerobic exercise tested in AS patients.
What to avoid
Interventions recorded as making it worseNothing in this library is currently recorded as making Ankylosing Spondylitis worse. Coverage is partial, and absence here is not evidence of safety.
How to read the evidence
Evidence tier — overall strength of the evidence for the whole compound
- StrongWell established — backed by strong, consistent human research.
- ModerateSome genuine support, but mostly from small or lower-quality studies. Promising, not proven.
- PreliminaryEarly-stage evidence — a promising hypothesis, not an established effect yet.
- LimitedVery limited evidence — treat this as a hypothesis, not proof.
- InsufficientNot enough good evidence to draw conclusions yet.
Certainty — how sure we can be that the effect is real
- Very highVery sure — strong, consistent evidence
- HighFairly sure — consistent evidence from good studies
- MediumModerately sure — new studies could change this
- LowNot sure — little or mixed evidence
- Very lowVery unsure — almost no usable evidence
Source — where the data comes from
- Meta-analysisPooled analysis of many trials — the strongest evidence
- RCTRandomized controlled trial — a strong human study design
- ClinicalA human clinical study
- Reference knowledgeFrom general health-science or pharmacology references, not a study of this exact claim
- Animal researchStudied in animals, not humans
- Community reportsAggregated user reports — anecdotal signal, not evidence
- TheoreticalMechanism-based reasoning, not yet tested
Study grade — quality of each underlying study (A best, D weakest)
- AHigh-quality — strong, consistent human trials
- BGood — solid evidence with some limitations
- CModerate — limited, small, or mixed-quality studies
- DWeak — preliminary, indirect, or animal-only
Confidence — how strongly the sources back a finding
A 0–100 score from study quality and agreement
Most supplement evidence is graded C–D. Read it as preliminary signal, not proof.
Full write-up
What is it
Ankylosing spondylitis is a condition in the musculoskeletal category.
Evidence-backed options
Yoga is associated with a clinical evidence signal for ankylosing spondylitis, based on a non-randomized controlled study comparing it with physiotherapy. The intervention lasted 8 weeks, so the reported findings describe changes observed over that period rather than establishing how quickly benefits might begin. No dose or session frequency is provided here, and the evidence does not identify an optimal amount or schedule.
The study reported improvements across measures of spinal mobility, disease activity, mental health, fear of movement, and physical-activity control and self-regulation. Because the study was not randomized, differences between the groups may reflect factors other than the intervention, so the findings do not establish that yoga would produce the same results for everyone with ankylosing spondylitis. No intervention-related adverse events were reported in that study, but this does not establish that yoga is risk-free in all circumstances. Interpretation and suitability are best considered with a clinician.