Objective: Ankylosing spondylitis is a systemic inflammatory disease affecting sacroiliac joints, spine, and sometimes peripheral joints or other organs. Physical therapy represents an important strategy of the complex management. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of 21-week supervised exercise program in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Methods: Thirty patients with ankylosing spondylitis were enrolled to this study. The study population was divided into the exercise and control groups. Pain was assessed by visual analogue scale. Parameters such as static posture (methods by Klein and Thomas modified by Mayer), mobility of lumbar and thoracic spine (Schober and Stibor Flexion Test, Thomayer finger tip to floor distance and lumbar extension) and chest elasticity (chest expansion) were evaluated. Results: Significant reduction in pain intensity (64.8 vs. 26.4 %), improvement in static posture, increased spinal mobility for all distances and improved chest expansion were demonstrated for exercise group compared to control group. Conclusion: In this study we confirmed significant contribution of regular supervised group exercise in the management of patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

        Key words: ankylosing spondylitis, supervised group exercise, pain, static posture, spinal mobility