Conventional exercises (Joint ROM, spinal extensor strengthening, posture, balance and respiratory exercises) were explained verbally to both groups and video demonstrations were shown. Patients exercised five days a week for six week, in three sets, consisting of 10 repetitions per day. Exercise practices of the patients were routinely monitored and the patients were encouraged to continue exercise program and phone calls were made to follow-up exercises.

This is a disease activity-related scale. It consists of 6 questions. Each question has horizontally numbered boxes from 0 to 10, where 0 means none and 10 means very severe. The patient should answer the questions based on their condition over the past week. The questions cover: weakness/fatigue, neck/back/hip pain, joint pain and swelling, touch and pressure sensitivity, and the severity and duration of morning stiffness. The average of the answers to 2 questions related to morning stiffness is added to the sum of the first 4 questions, and then divided by 5 to obtain a combined score.

The purpose of this scale is to determine and monitor physical functioning in patients with AS. It consists of 10 questions in total: 8 items related to the patients' functional anatomy (bending, reaching, changing position, standing, turning, and climbing stairs) and 2 items assessing the patients' skills related to daily living. The scale is numbered horizontally in rows from 0 to 10, where 0 means easy and 10 means impossible.

BASMI is a scale used to measure axial skeletal mobility in AS patients and to objectively evaluate clinically significant changes in spinal movement. It was first introduced in 1994 as a 2-point scale. A year later, it was adapted as a 10-point scale, and more recently, its current version as a linear marker has been developed and validated through validation studies.72 It consists of 5 items representing clinical measurements of cervical rotation, tragus-to-wall distance, lumbar flexion (modified Schober), spinal lateral flexion, and maximal intermalleolar distance. Each item is scored between 0 and 10 according to separately defined cut-off values. The ranges are defined as cervical rotation (8.5°-85.0°), tragus-to-wall (10 cm-38 cm), lumbar flexion (7.0 cm-0.7 cm), lumbar lateral flexion (1.2 cm-20 cm), and intermalleolar distance (30 cm-120 cm).

This test is used to assess the physical function of an individual with AS. It consists of 20 questions across 8 categories: dressing, lying down, standing up, eating, walking, hygiene, daily tasks, and grasping. Patients should answer the questions considering their performance over the past week. A scoring system from 0 to 3 is used, with 4 options: 0; easily able, 3; unable to do at all. The total score is divided by the number of questions answered to obtain the final value.

The patient is asked to perform maximal inspiration and expiration. During this time, a measurement is taken and recorded at the 4th intercostal space. The difference between these two results, both in centimeters, is calculated to obtain the desired value.

It is a physiological test that measures airflow as a function of the volume of air taken in and exhaled during respiration and time. Today, it is one of the most basic diagnostic methods frequently used in the diagnosis and monitoring of many lung diseases.

Dynamic Spirometry It is the first step in respiratory function tests. It is used to evaluate ventilatory capacity. The most important cause of impaired ventilatory capacity is airway obstruction. It is evaluated during forced inspiration and expiration. The measured volume is related to time and expressed with volume-time or flow-volume curves.

FORCED VITAL CAPACITY (FVC): The volume of air expelled with a forced, rapid, and deep expiration after a deep inspiration.

Normal: FVC = VC(Vital capacity) Airway obstruction: FVC < VC Normally, 75-80% of the volumes are expelled in the first second. It generally reflects the large airways. It is significantly red

The Berg Balance Scale is a test used to assess functional balance. It was developed in 1989 by Katherine Berg to evaluate balance functions in the elderly. The scale is useful in predicting the risk and consequences of falls, in evaluating rehabilitation in hospitalized patients, and in assessing the length of hospital stay.

It consists of 14 items for performance evaluation. Each item is scored between 0 and 4 according to the patient's ability to meet the distance and time requirements of the test. A score of 4 indicates the ability to complete the task without assistance. The highest score is 56. Scores between 0 and 20 indicate impaired balance, 21-40 indicate acceptable balance, and 41-56 indicate good balance.