Chad Baker is an amateur athlete “married with four kids in a blended household and [serving as] a school administrator in Colorado. ” He is competing for a feature in Muscle and Fitness magazine. If he wins Mr. Health and Fitness, he will get to take home a prize of $20,000.
Chad has been an athlete for his whole life. He has coached basketball, track, and football. Chad is unique in that he was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis in his 20s. Despite the diagnosis, he is living a normal life in his 40s which he attributes to remaining physically active and staying strong.
Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of inflammatory arthritis that affects the spine. It usually begins with stiffness and pain in the back and neck after extended periods of inactivity. Symptoms ease up with physical movements, but without constant movement, the pain could affect the ribs, neck, shoulders, and heels. The condition is usually diagnosed before the ages of 40 to 45.
When ankylosis spondylitis is in its most severe form, the spinal bones can fuse and make joints inflexible. This can lead to other problems, including hunched posture and trouble breathing.
There is no cure for the condition, but treatment helps with symptoms and disease progression. Treatment is more effective when it is begun before permanent damage occurs in your joints. Initial treatments include NSAIDs and physical therapy. Biological medications like interleukin 17 (IL-17) inhibitors or tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers have proven to be successful with ankylosing spondylitis treatment. A final option is a surgery to correct the damaged condition of the bones.
Chad Baker has excelled in sports despite his diagnosis by remaining physically fit and abandoning a sedentary lifestyle. He believes in getting better every day. He says personal growth is a mindset that occurs when you live, learn, and train outside of your comfort zone.
