A man who lived with a bent spine

For nearly three decades, Li Hua lived with his body bent so severely forward that looking straight ahead became almost impossible.

Li, from Hunan province in China, developed ankylosing spondylitis at 18. The inflammatory disease mainly affects the spine and can cause joints and vertebrae to stiffen and fuse. In Li’s unusually severe case, his chin eventually rested against his chest and his face came within only a few centimeters of his thighs.

He could no longer stand upright or lie flat, and everyday activities such as eating, sleeping, dressing, and...