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Personal Trainer Tips: Anterior Pelvic Tilt

Understand your pain

Anterior Pelvic Tilt

Correct your posture and ease your back pain.

What is an Anterior Pelvic Tilt? How Can We Fix It?

When you look at posture you are really looking at the  balance muscles around a joint. If one muscle is pulling too hard, then you see changes in your alignment. Some are more obvious than others. Deviations in the pelvis can impact gait, strength, and overall quality of life.

An anterior pelvic tilt, also known as lower crossed syndrome, is most common for those that have occupations that require them to sit at a desk.

Signs of an Anterior Pelvic Tilt

Low Back/Hip Pain

The pain can be exaggerated by long periods on inactivity. It can also make it difficult to squat to depth.

Knee Pain

Many lower body exercises may cause great discomfort from the pull in your hip flexors/quadriceps.

Hard to Engage Hamstrings/Glutes

It is hard to feel deadlifts in your hamstrings/glutes and you feel it more in your back.

Posture Comparison

Posture with an Anterior Pelvic Tilt
  • Hips are rotated back with an exaggerated lumbar lordosis (lower spinal curve)
  • Weakened and elongated glute muscles
  • Shortened and overactive spinal erectors
  • Weakened and elongated abdominal muscles
  • Shortened and overactive hip flexors
Balanced Posture
  • Hips are aligned
    Hips are not rotated forward and the glutes and core are activated to keep this posture
  • Shoulders rest over the hips
    Shoulders are aligned directly over the hips to mid-foot
  • Neutral spine
    Natural curvature in spine is maintained, but not exaggerated

How to Fix It

Top Exercise

Deadbugs

Deadbugs work to strengthen the core and working towards glute engagement to push the back into the floor.

Weighted Planks

This is a good progression from dead bugs where you can build more core strength.

Hip Thrusts

The focus is on activating the weekend glutei and hamstrings.

Top Stretch

SMR Hip Flexors

Self-Myofascial Release is a great tool for relieving pain and stiffness in muscles. Try foam rolling your hip flexors before your next workout.

Child's Pose

Sit back and relax to release your lower back!

90/90

This stretch is a fantastic hip warmup and can help you learn to sit back and upright.