Living with ankylosing spondylitis: an open response survey exploring physical activity experiences.

People with AS can and do participate in a diverse range of physical activities, but fluctuations in activity levels occur owing to disease- and non-disease-specific factors. Individually tailored plans and self-monitoring are important to optimize levels of physical activity and maximize benefits for people living with AS. Multiple reasons why AS patients participate in physical activity were revealed that included both adaptive (i.e. autonomous) and maladaptive (i.e. controlled) forms of motivation.