title: The effects of comprehensive home physiotherapy and supervision on patients with ankylosing spondylitis--a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: Fifty-three patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) were randomly allocated; 26 experimental patients received physiotherapy and disease education, 27 control patients received neither. The primary treatment outcome was change in spinal mobility measured at 4 months by fingertip-to-floor distance. Experimental patients had more improvement in fingertip-to-floor distance (p2 less than 0.004) and in function (p2 less than 0.001) than control patients. Physiotherapy with disease education is effective in the treatment of patients with AS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine (Rheumatology), Ottawa Civic Hospital, University of Ottawa, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kraag
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stokes
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Groh
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Helewa
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Goldsmith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D009132:Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011187:Posture; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012648:Self Care; D013131:Spine / Q000503:physiopathology; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*