Effects of Tai Chi in Patients With Ankylosing Spondylitis Receiving Anti-tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Therapy

At least 36 AS patients followed‐up by Antalya Training and Research Hospital, who are receiving Anti‐TNF therapy and who do not have any other disease affecting their functions will be included in the study. There were 18 patients in the conventional treatment group and 18 patients in the Tai Chi group. After the demographic data of AS patients were recorded, Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASFI) and Bath AS Metrology Index (BASMI), respectively, to be used for activity and basic measurements of the disease, 6 minutes walking test to measure aerobic capacity , Cognitive Exercise Therapy Approach Scale and Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life Questionnaire to be used for quality of life, 30 second sit‐down test to evaluate the lower extremity strength. In addition, 10‐20 ml (1‐2 tubes) of blood will be taken from the patient's arm, the amount of substances such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C reactive protein (CRP) in the blood will be measured. Patients will not be charged any fee related to this process. Evaluation methods will be applied to the cases before the start of training and after the completion of the training. For the training, both patient groups were randomly divided into two groups: the first group was treated with conventional treatment and the second group with Tai Chi training. The training will last 10 weeks. Conventional treatment; stretching for the cervical, thoracic and lumbar flexibility, shoulder circumference, hamstring and erector spinal muscles, strengthening exercises for abdominal, back and proximal muscles. The exercises that will be taught in detail to each stage of the patient will be performed at home by the patient for 60 minutes, 2 days a week. The patients will be inspected and controlled by monthly controls. Tai Chi exercise method, which is composed of combination of physical exercise and relaxation techniques, will be applied by an experienced physiotherapist who is trained with Tai Chi. The training will take 60 minutes, 2 days a week and 10 weeks in total.