Menu Healthy Lifestyle Diseases & Conditions First Aid Symptoms Tests & Procedures Videos Definitions FAQs Ankylosing spondylitisUpdated: 2019-11-08OverviewAnkylosing spondylitis is an inflammatory disease that fuses spinal vertebrae together.SymptomsIt can cause a hunched-forward posture. If ribs are affected, breathing deeply may be hard. Symptoms typically appear in early adulthood.TreatmentsTreatment includes medication and physical therapy and, in rare cases, surgery. © 1998-2022 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research(MFMER). All rights reserved. Terms of Use