The Foundation of Axial Performance
History
Rooted in clinical excellence and a deep understanding of musculoskeletal health, Axial Performance was founded to bridge the gap between traditional solutions and living life to the fullest for those with chronic conditions. We began by addressing the specific challenges of Ankylosing Spondylitis and chronic back pain through a lens of evidence-based rehabilitation, backed by lived experience, and also provide support for other pain disorders and musculoskeletal conditions, such as fibromyalgia and the many variations of arthritis.Â
Mission
Our mission is to provide the next step beyond symptom management, helping people living with chronic pain and long-term conditions build strength and confidence again. Those diagnosed with chronic conditions are regularly told to "be careful", with no meaningful long-term guidance to keep the body strong and capable. Our solutions enable you to proactively fight against deterioration so that you may continue to live your life the way you were supposed to!
Vision
We envision a future where chronic pain is no longer a barrier to life. By integrating clinical precision with modern performance science, we aim to redefine rehabilitation as a proactive journey of strength and resilience for every client.
Alex Smythe — Founder and Strength & Rehabilitation CoachÂ
I am a Sports Therapist and Strength & Rehabilitation Coach with extensive experience in rehabilitation, personal training, and strength-based coaching. My background includes six years running my own sports therapy clinic, alongside five years working as a Personal Trainer and Gym Instructor, supported by further advanced qualifications in Strength & Conditioning and Nutrition.
​
Alongside my professional experience, I also bring lived experience of training and managing ankylosing spondylitis. This has shaped an approach that combines evidence-based practice with a genuine understanding of the challenges that can come with chronic pain, long-term conditions, and injury history. My focus is helping people rebuild strength, confidence, and resilience through considerate personalised coaching and training solutions.
​
My journey with ankylosing spondylitis began in September 2023 at the age of 27, and it changed my life overnight. Like many people facing a long-term condition, I experienced the uncertainty, frustration, and physical limitations that can come with persistent pain and fatigue. As someone whose career and lifestyle revolved around movement, training, and helping others, it forced me to rethink my relationship with my own body.
Â
Through that process, I gained a far deeper appreciation of the physical and mental impact that chronic conditions can have. It strengthened my ability to empathise with the people I work with and motivated me to find practical and sustainable ways to continue progressing despite the challenges. By combining my professional knowledge with my own experiences, I was able to regain confidence in my body and become stronger, more capable, and more resilient than I had been before my diagnosis.
​
Axial Performance was created from that journey.
​
Too often, people with chronic conditions are told what they should avoid, but are given little guidance on what they can do. My mission is to bridge that gap by providing practical coaching, education, and support that helps people move beyond simply managing symptoms and towards building strength, confidence, and long-term physical capability.
Â
My approach combines safe and effective resistance training, nutrition, mobility, recovery strategies, and a commitment to staying up to date with emerging research and developments relating to autoimmune and chronic health conditions. The goal is simple: to help people build a body they can trust again.