Anterior Pelvic Tilt | 3 Exercises and 2 stretches to correct Lower back Curve

Exercises and Stretches to Fix Anterior Pelvic Tilt

Anterior Pelvic Tilt

• Overview
• Causes of Anterior Pelvic Tilt
• Consequences of Anterior Pelvic Tilt
• Testing Anterior Pelvic Tilt
• Corrective Exercises and Stretches

Overview

Anterior pelvic lilt is the condition of the pelvis rotating forward. 

This can be easily identified with the naked eye when you see an exaggerated curve in the lower back that causes both the butt and abdomen to stick out. 

Mind! The bulging abdomen doesn’t necessarily mean the person is fat; it’s rather the unnatural excessive arch in the lumbar region that forces the lower belly out and in front of the body.

This abnormal spinal curve is a result of a combination of weak and strong muscles and ligaments, pertaining, quite often, to antagonist groups. 

When the pelvis has an anterior tilt, the quadriceps and hip flexors are tight, whereas the hamstrings, gluteal muscles and lower rectus abdominis (lower abs) are weak and stretched out.

Some people are born with a natural arch which  is a bit more pronounced than their peers, especially for women, which is perfectly normal. 

That exaggerated arch in women is designed to enable their bodies bare the additional weight they get in their bellies during pregnancy. 

However, for others who got this condition due to incorrect habits or injuries need to address it immediately.

Levels of Lumbar Curve

Causes of Anterior Pelvic Tilt

There are numerous causes for this unnatural posture, and getting to identify which ones are present in your daily activities makes it a lot easier to address the problem by first avoiding the causes and then taking corrective exercises. 

The main causes are:

1. Prolonged siting 

Usually due to the type of job or other lifestyles.

2.  Poor form or technique when training 

This occurs especially when excessive lower back arching takes place during squats.

3. Not balancing strength training 

This can be due to quads focused training with little glutes and hamstrings work.

4. Neglecting Abs training 

These muscles should be trained moderately to keep them tight, but never excessively in order not to thicken up the midsection and create a hunched back.

5. Lack of physical activity

6. Flat feet

Consequences of Anterior Pelvic Tilt

Since the pelvis is a really critical body part that allows for proper posture, walking, lifting weights, and doing many other flexibility movements.

A shift of its natural position may cause dysfunction and lead to serious problems. 

The most common effects of this condition are:

• Lower back pain
• Lower back muscle tightness
• Knee hyperextension
• Hip and knee pain

Testing Anterior Pelvic Tilt

Testing your pelvis for anterior tilt is actually pretty easy and can be done at home; you only need a table or bench and yourself. 

You can do the Thomas test for this end:

•  Lay flat on the edge of a sturdy table or bench with your legs out of it (Table) and on the floor.
•  Make sure your lower back is touching the table and not elevated.
•  Your thighs perpendicular to the floor while resting your feet there
• Lift one leg (Bent) hugging it to your chest with both arms
•  Repeat the the movement with the other leg

While holding one leg to your chest, notice the other leg and hips; if you need to lift the resting leg or rotate the hips in order to do the movement, then you probably have an anterior pelvic tilt.

Thomas Test

Corrective Exercises and Stretches

There are a few exercises (to strengthen weak muscles) and stretches (To relieve tension and tightness) that you really need to be doing in order to improve posture and eliminate pain by correcting your anterior pelvic tilt.

Exercises

1. Hip Thrusts (Bridges)

This exercise is an excellent choice to mainly strengthen your glutes. 

Do this exercise regularly, but not overly, if you want to see good results. You can do it every other day with only body weight.

2. Sumo Deadlift and Squats

These heavy compound movements are great exercises for strengthening the hamstrings and glutes as well as aligning the spine. 

Choose the sumo version for both the deadlift and the squat as this activates the hamstrings better.

3. Lower abs Work

You can do hanging leg raises or v ups to focus on strengthening the lowers rectus abdominis. 

However, concentrate well with this exercise and maintain proper form; don’t let your belly push out as you perform the reps. 

Start off by pulling your stomach in a bit and tightening it before each rep.

Stretches

1. Psoas Stretch

This is basically done to stretch out the psoas muscle which connects your femur (leg bone) to your lumbar vertebrae. 

This can be done by taking a position similar to that of a lung, with one knee rested on the floor, slightly behind your body. 

Keep the other leg in front of you bent 90 degrees, your back straight and your tailbone tucked under as you squeeze your butt muscles. 

Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and then switch legs. Do this exercises multiples times a day if your condition is severe.

2. Quadricels stretch

You can combine this with the psoas stretch by simply dragging your knee further back behind you while still being comfortable. 

Then, reach with your hand to your foot behind you and hold it for 30 seconds before switching legs.

PSOAS Stretch