Pelvic Tilts: Get Them Right
This guy had some pelvis control…Pic: Marco Nunes
The movement and consequent function of the pelvis plays a big role in your ability to have correct posture when exercising and performing every day activities. Getting your pelvis moving correctly will have a big influence over your ability to lift, your injury risk, your health, and the way you look. Correct pelvic posture is important, make sure you get yours right.
The Tilts
The two movements we are concerned with are the Anterior Tilt, and the Posterior Tilt. With muscles imbalances the pelvis will tilt into either one of these directions.
-The anterior tilt is when the pelvis is tilted to the front. Consequently you are creating a massive lordosis in your lower back, arching it out.
-The posterior tilt is when your pelvis is tilted to the back, and your lower back is flattening out.
Both of these pelvis abnormalities have implications. They come about through flawed posture throughout the day, bad lifting technique and repetitive movements. Basically, if you are doing something over and over, putting repetitive strain on your body, it will adapt.
When you have an anterior tilt your glutes are in a bad position and won’t fire as well. As a consequence your hamstrings and groins can become overworked. You can also put extensive stress through your lower back, as you are trying to produce hip extension, but your glutes can’t do it.
If you are in a constant posterior tilt, your lower back is always flattened out. This results in constant lumbar flexion, which isn’t great for your lower back, especially when lifting. The main problems and pain that is experienced from both these tilts is in the lower back. Excessive strain is put through it either way.
Muscles Affecting the Hip
This picture illustrates how the anterior and posterior muscles can pull and affect the hip positioning. The table below lists which of these muscles are tight and which are loose in each case.
Pic: moon.ouhsc.com
What’s Tight and What’s Loose?
Look out for Part 2, where you will learn how to treat both posterior and anterior tilts.
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8 Responses to “Pelvic Tilts: Get Them Right”
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I havent thought about these in ages!
do you do them often?
M.
Hey Mizfit
Not quite understanding? Do I do what often?
I tend to be in more of an anterior tilt when my glutes stop firing. I do the exercises that will be in Part 2 very often!
Cheers!!
do you think that it’s possible to have anterior pelvic titl and tight hamstrings at the same time? because i think i have such condition
i have “protruding guts” and a little “monkey butt” but at the same time i’m not flexible in my hips (i think mainly because of hamstrings
best regards
y
Yep. your hamstrings are probably tight because of your anterior tilt. For eg. if you have tight hip flexors, and you have an anterior tilt because of them, then your hamstrings are constantly on stretch and become tight, or feel like they are tight, even if they aren’t directly the problem.
hope that helps!
thanks for your answer!
now i follow stronglifs program and stretch alot. but i’m not sure if i should stretch my hamstrings or not. well streched hamstrings are crucial for safe squat technique…
do i think right that i shoul both stretch and strenghten my “lower posterior chain” and strenghten my abs to fight the lordosis?
spot on, do all of it. Also, target your hip flexors when stretching. Stretching your hamstrings certainly isn’t going to hurt anything. I think they are probably tight from your lordosis/anterior tilt, although stretching them won’t fix the core problem, it will help supplement the rest.
Cheers.
I hope part two comes out soon!
Hi Lauren - great site. Just reading some of the people’s comments here means I now realise I’m not alone! I’ve always had people say my bum is rock hard and also larger than most. But I’ve never understood why my hamstrings we so short and tight, my low back very arched (thus giving me a protuding tummy), lower back muscles very strong but abs are always useless.
I think I know understand what I have and with your Part 2, how to go about doing something about it!
I also liked your volleyball stretches, and am going to do what you are making your housemate do - it can only be good afterall…
Thanks again Lauren,
Michael, London