Protection of joints

Protecting your joints involves using them in ways that avoid putting stress on them while doing your daily activities. Joint protection means you will experience less pain and have less difficulty performing daily activities. For many people, joint protection means changing the way you are used to using your joints.

You can help protect your joints by:

• using your legs and knees to lift heavy objects rather than using your back
• carrying heavy objects close to your body
• paying attention to your posture - people with AS tend to slouch or stoop forward
• pacing yourself - take breaks when performing activities that heavily involve the muscles and joints
• switching positions regularly
• using assistive devices to make daily activities easier to do (for example, use a cane to help you walk or use reaching aids to help you grab items high on the shelf)

Taking these steps can help you maintain good posture, relieve joint stress, and protect your joints from further damage.