Static Postural Control Data Analysis in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis

Objective: The goal of our study was to determine how ankylosing spondylitis, a chronic inflammatory disease, affected patient’s balance.
Materials and Methods: Thirty-one healthy volunteers and thirty-five patients with ankylosing spondylitis and no comorbidities affecting their balance participated in the study. Bipedal balance analysis was performed with the subjects’ eyes open and closed in each group. The position of the center of pressure during the measurement was evaluated.
Results: The mediolateral deviation of the center of pressure (p=0.035) and the total path length (p=0.042) were significantly higher in the patient group when measured with eyes open. PL was significantly longer in the patient group when measured with eyes closed (p=0.002).
Conclusion: We observed that ankylosing spondylitis negatively affected the balance in patients. Since this disease usually occurs in the young population, it should be taken into consideration that balance impairment can complicate daily life, especially in the professional world. Therefore, it can be useful to consider the balance disorder in the treatment, and the patients should be monitored for an extended period.