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Musculoskeletal Conditions

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his intervention. Ankylosing spondylitis is a very specific and interesting inflammatory arthritis, but it needs early diagnosis. The treatment for most back pains is "Put 'em to bed and rest 'em," but somebody with ank spond who is put to bed to rest will stiffen up. We see people walking around who were treated years ago yet even now have stiffened up in a hopelessly bent condition. When I was in the Air Force, I had to treat a high-ranking officer with ankylosing spondylitis. He had been treated badly and had curled up. The only time he was comfortable was when he was lying in a fighter aircraft, in which pilots would lie with their feet stretched out and their head looking in the same direction. Amazingly, this chap was still allowed to pilot an aircraft.