Réhabital
Ankylosing Spondylitis Physiotherapy Support in Côte Saint-Luc
Managing a stiff back and persistent fatigue can require more than a standard stretching sheet. At Réhabital, Colin Teghen Tamuton, physiotherapist and OPPQ member, helps you maintain mobility and physical capacity with an individualized program. Physiotherapy complements your rheumatologist's care; it never replaces medication prescribed to control inflammatory disease. If the diagnosis is uncertain, we recommend medical assessment rather than assuming that the problem is ordinary mechanical stiffness.
Book an AppointmentUnderstanding This Condition
Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that mainly affects the sacroiliac joints and spine. It belongs to the axial spondyloarthritis group. Pain and stiffness may be more noticeable after rest, in the morning, or during the second half of the night, and may ease with movement. That pattern is a clue rather than proof of a diagnosis. A rheumatologist considers the full clinical picture and appropriate investigations. The disease can also affect the hips, tendon attachment sites and sometimes the eyes, while other inflammatory conditions may coexist. Structural changes can progressively restrict movement in some people, but the course varies considerably. Exercise does not reverse those changes or guarantee that progression will stop. Its main role is to support available movement, strength, endurance and participation in everyday life. Comfortable posture is not one perfect position that must be held all day: changing positions and moving regularly matter. Medical treatment and rehabilitation therefore address different but complementary needs, and both may need adjustment over time.
Common Symptoms
Common Causes
Immune-mediated inflammation
The condition involves inflammatory and immune mechanisms. It is not simply caused by poor posture, insufficient stretching or weak abdominal muscles.
Genetic susceptibility
Genetic factors, including HLA-B27 in some people, are associated with the disease. Their presence or absence cannot establish or exclude the diagnosis on its own.
Rest-related stiffness
Prolonged inactivity can increase stiffness and discomfort. This supports using movement breaks, but inactivity should not be confused with the underlying cause of disease.
Structural changes
Joint restriction or bone fragility can affect exercise choices. Medical history guides precautions, particularly after a fall or impact that produces new spinal pain.
Deconditioning and fatigue
Pain, flares and reduced activity can lower strength and endurance. These consequences are rehabilitation targets, not a complete explanation for the disease itself.
Our Treatment Approach
Assessment takes account of the medical diagnosis, disease activity, medication and your rheumatologist's recommendations. We examine useful movement, strength, walking and exercise tolerance without trying to force a stiff spine. Your program may combine gentle spinal and hip mobility, adapted extension exercises, strengthening, functional posture work and gradually increased aerobic activity. Comfortable breathing movements may help maintain chest-wall mobility; new breathing difficulty must nevertheless be assessed medically. Doses are adjusted for fatigue, recovery and flares. We do not ask you to push through acute pain or change your medication. Forceful spinal manipulation is not our strategy, especially when spinal segments are fused or bone fragility is known. With your consent, relevant observations can be shared with your medical team. Follow-up focuses on making activity sustainable in real life, with lighter options for difficult days and progression when symptoms are better controlled. We review meaningful tasks, such as walking, dressing or turning comfortably, rather than promising a particular posture or a return to unrestricted spinal movement.
What to Expect at Your First Visit
Your first appointment starts with your priorities: which activities have become difficult, what changes concern you, and what would make a useful difference in everyday life? Bring your medication list, recommendations from your medical team, and any relevant results you already have. Wear clothing that lets you move comfortably. Tests are selected for your circumstances and can be adapted or stopped. We explain our findings, the limits of physiotherapy, and situations that require medical advice. You leave with a clearly explained home program, a starting dose of activity, and practical signs that tell you when to slow down. Follow-up frequency depends on your needs, recovery, and circumstances; no set number of visits guarantees an outcome. At subsequent visits, we reassess an activity that matters to you rather than relying only on how much pain you have that day.
At-Home Self-Care Tips
- Include brief periods of gentle mobility throughout the day
- Change positions regularly at work and at home
- Maintain aerobic activity suited to your tolerance
- Continue prescribed treatment and do not alter medication yourself
- Reduce intensity during flares and seek advice if they persist
- Avoid forceful neck or back movements and report any fall
Prognosis & Recovery Timeline
Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic disease with a variable course. Appropriate medical treatment and regular activity can support function and quality of life, without guaranteeing symptom resolution or preventing all progression. Goals are revised around flares, treatment changes and current abilities. Improved movement does not mean that inflammation no longer needs medical follow-up. Keep appointments with your rheumatologist, and discuss meaningful changes in symptoms rather than judging disease control only by exercise performance.
When to See Us at Réhabital
Book when stiffness, fatigue or mobility loss limits daily activities. A painful red eye with light sensitivity or blurred vision requires urgent same-day medical assessment. Significant new neck or back pain after even a minor impact can indicate fracture and needs urgent evaluation. New weakness, saddle numbness or loss of bladder or bowel control requires emergency care. Chest pain or major unusual breathlessness should not simply be attributed to a stiff rib cage.
Why Réhabital Clinic
At Réhabital, Colin Teghen Tamuton, physiotherapist and OPPQ member, works with you on a realistic plan explained in clear language. The clinic is at D4-5800 Cavendish Boulevard, on the ground floor of Cavendish Mall in Côte Saint-Luc, on the Island of Montréal. Access is step-free, with free parking. Evening and Sunday hours make appointments easier to arrange. All visits take place at the clinic; we do not offer home visits or on-site imaging. Private-insurance receipts are issued, but you should check your own policy for coverage. Physiotherapy fees are listed on the Pricing page. The 10% first-clinic-visit discount does not apply to physiotherapy. Book through Jane App or call (438) 842-3550 to discuss an appointment.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Address
D4-5800 Cavendish Blvd
Côte Saint-Luc, QC H4W 2T5
Phone
(438) 842-3550Hours
Mon–Fri: 10AM–8PM
Sun: 10AM–4PM
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