Back pain, back pain, back pain... probably the number 1 complaint I see...
Ankylosing spondylitis
-Daily bending, twisting, and gentle range of motion exercises help prevent postural deformities and restriction of joint range of motion.
In a flare up I know because I have this... almost everything is out the window and this is about all I can do. Make sure as soon as you get up to do 15-20 minutes of some light stretching. There is a yoga DVD series that has a AM and PM component that's only 30 minutes in length that is very gentle and could help to get the blood moving and get some flexibility back into your back and SI joints.
-Work on some physical therapy (Which I am suprised they have not sent you to one?!?!) Supermans, opposite hand and leg extensions, back extensions (carefully), breathing and bending motions. All of that helps to increase the limited flexibility you'll encounter and help prevent further progression of the disease.
-Breathing exercises are recommended to prevent chest wall immobility.
-Good sleeping posture with a small pillow on a firm mattress in the supine (Lying on back) position. Best to lay on your back and elevate your knees on a pillow to take the stress off the low back. In this position it's also nice to lay a heating pad under the SI jointas and low back.
-None of the NSAID's really help me either. The only thing that helps:
MASSAGE, heat, sleeping on my back (ALWAYS) with a good pillow (not one making my head 10 feet off the bed..) more or less just a neck support. People don't need pillows... You can roll a towel up and stick it under your neck with the back of the head on the bed, and that is the best position for your head and neck anyway. MOBILITY, STRETCHING, FLEXIBILITY are all key! You have to move. If you don't the spine can fuse and you can lose ROM. All of that stuff is a requirement in my life, it's not an option to miss it, because then you end up like me 8 years' ago not walking for a week because the SI joints lockeed up. Hot baths with epsom salt works well, or just letting the hot water from a shower pound on it! They have those Shiatsu chair massagers you just throw over a chair ($100). I have one on my desk chair and whenever I feel pain (every day) I sit on it and if I can't get a massage done you can always take a hot bath and plop on that. That way the muscles are nice and warmed up and more pliable and easier to give with the fake shiatsu guy.
-Things that aggravate mine are some ab exercises!! Try to stick with simple ab stuff. Like crunches, side crunches, I prefer stuff on the ball because you add that extra instability component.
-It is important no matter what exercise you are doing the ABS have to be tight to support the spine, HAVE to. If you have to drop weight to focus on that then do it for your physical health in the long run.
-Just be cautious on any spine loaded exercise as you are more prone for fractures. That's why I limbo with the squat rack... Want to do it because I know the huge benefits in muscle development, but know what it can also do to me.
O.k. my 2 cents over...
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. Hope your side pain gets better. Good job with your workouts, i need to lean to skip im rubbish. I tried when i was fat and i could have been mistaken for a woman the way my tits were moving. Needless to say i havent tried since 
Any good wife would do that. 
Thanks for clarifying, you worry me sometimes Super Mom 
I have a feeling Im going to try to 3-4 days low carb them carb up... may make for a good challenge. 
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