A tilted pelvis is the abnormal positioning of the pelvis in relation to the thighs and upper body. This causes imbalance and misalignment of the spine, leading to low back pain.It is also relevant to several other conditions that can exist elsewhere in the body. Depending on the direction of the pelvic tilt, it can cause pain in the knees, legs, hips, buttocks, shoulders, and neck.
A tilted pelvis is often the result of poor posture. It can also be due to altered anatomy of the pelvis and/or hips caused by joint degeneration or a condition present from birth.
This article describes three different types of tilted pelvis, including their causes and symptoms. It also explains how each is treated or corrected with exercise, physical therapy, or medical interventions.
How Pelvic Tilt Is Related to Back Pain
The pelvis is a group of bones held together by joints that is connected to your spine at your lower back (known as the lumbar spine). The pelvis can tilt forward and back and rotate forward or back. It can hike up or down on either side. It can do a combination of two or more of these movements at the same time.
Your pelvis is considered well-aligned or "neutral" when it's tilted neither too far forward nor too far back. Problems can arise, however, if your pelvis falls consistently out of this neutral position while standing or sitting.
A tilted pelvis disrupts what is known as the kinetic chain, meaning the normal orientation and interaction of joints, muscles, and body segments that enable movement. When the kinetic chain is disrupted by the abnormal pelvic tilt, all other body segments are thrown off, leading to instability, mobility problems, and, most commonly, low back pain.
Anterior Pelvic Tilt
A forward tilt is called an anterior pelvic tilt. It is caused by the shortening of the hip flexor muscles (which allow you to bring your knee to your chest) and the lengthening of the hip extensor muscles (which move your knee away from your chest). This increases the curvature of the lower spine.
One of the most common causes of an anterior pelvic tilt is extra belly weight, including pregnancy weight.5 As the pelvis tilts forward, you are forced to compensate by flexing your back into an abnormal "C" curve.
Prolonged sitting in combination with physical inactivity can also lead to an anterior tilt.6
Symptoms of Forward Pelvic Tilt
With an anterior pelvic tilt, the front of the pelvis drops in relationship to the back of the pelvis, causing symptoms like:
Low back pain
Tight pelvic and thigh muscles
A protruding belly
Possible knee, hip, and feet pain
Treatment and Correction
An anterior pelvic tilt can be relieved by changing certain habits at home and in the office. Among them:
Avoid sitting for prolonged periods, taking regular breaks so that you can stretch and walk.
Avoid sitting on the edge of your work chair, which tilts your pelvis forward even further.
Place a pillow or blanket between your knees to keep your pelvis in a neutral position while sleeping.
Lose weight, if needed.
There are also certain exercises that can help correct an anterior tilt by strengthening the lower back and abdominal muscles:
Squats
Lying pelvic tilts
The plank
Hip flexor stretches
Posterior Pelvic Tilt
A backward tilt is called a posterior pelvic tilt. It is caused by an imbalance between your leg muscles and core muscles, which include the pelvic floor muscles, transverse abdominis muscles, erector spinae muscles, and diaphragm.
A posterior tilt can be caused by many of the same things as an anterior tilt. But, rather than flexing your back muscles, you end up slouching forward. This elongates the muscles past their normal tolerance for stretch.
Your sleeping posture can also contribute if it restricts the natural curve of the lumbar spine. Research shows that pelvic angles differ drastically in a supine position contributing to the degree of the tilt.
Symptoms of Backward Pelvic Tilt
With a posterior pelvic tilt, the front of the pelvis rises while the back of the pelvis drops, leading to symptoms like:
Low back pain
A slumped posture
Rolled-forward shoulders8
Upper back tension
Tight hamstrings
Possible knee and hip pain
Treatment and Correction
As with an anterior pelvic tilt, a posterior pelvic tilt will improve with simple changes in posture. Among them:
Ensure your desk height, chair height, and computer screen are all at the right level so that you do not slump.
Get a chair with lumbar support, or place a small pillow behind your back while you sit.
Place a small rolled-up towel beneath the arch of your lower back as you sleep.
Wear a weight-training belt to keep your spine in a more neutral position.
There are several exercises that can also help correct a posterior pelvic tilt, such as:
Abdominal press-up (a.k.a. the Cobra pose)
Seated hamstring stretches
Glute bridges
Straight leg raises
Back extensions (a.k.a. Superman exercise)
Pelvic Obliquity
Summary
A tilted pelvis usually happens because of poor posture. A forward (anterior) or backward (posterior) pelvic tilt causes back pain because it forces the back to compensate for the misalignment, either by overarching or slumping. They can usually be corrected with exercise and changes in sitting and sleep habits.
Pelvic obliquity, where one hip is higher than the other, is usually caused by a difference in leg length but can also be due to conditions like scoliosis, hip dysplasia, or hip osteoarthritis. The treatment of pelvic obliquity varies by the cause, although physical therapy exercises and orthopedic shoe inserts can help.
How The viyanacare can help you
you will know that your feet need good care all the time, and proper pelivs healthcare looks at the bigger picture. Your pelivs are connected to the function of your knees, hips and lower back, and as sport expert we build better bodies from your pelivs.
At The viyanacare, our team of experience, enthusiastic and highly qualified has worked with numerous professional sports athletes and recreational sport lovers. We will be happy to assess your pelivs, provide advice on useful exercises to adjust anything that sits outside the normal range.
So if you have any questions about pelivs, please come and see us at The viyanacare site.
A tilted pelvis is often the result of poor posture. It can also be due to altered anatomy of the pelvis and/or hips caused by joint degeneration or a condition present from birth.
This article describes three different types of tilted pelvis, including their causes and symptoms. It also explains how each is treated or corrected with exercise, physical therapy, or medical interventions.
How Pelvic Tilt Is Related to Back Pain
The pelvis is a group of bones held together by joints that is connected to your spine at your lower back (known as the lumbar spine). The pelvis can tilt forward and back and rotate forward or back. It can hike up or down on either side. It can do a combination of two or more of these movements at the same time.
Your pelvis is considered well-aligned or "neutral" when it's tilted neither too far forward nor too far back. Problems can arise, however, if your pelvis falls consistently out of this neutral position while standing or sitting.
A tilted pelvis disrupts what is known as the kinetic chain, meaning the normal orientation and interaction of joints, muscles, and body segments that enable movement. When the kinetic chain is disrupted by the abnormal pelvic tilt, all other body segments are thrown off, leading to instability, mobility problems, and, most commonly, low back pain.
Anterior Pelvic Tilt
A forward tilt is called an anterior pelvic tilt. It is caused by the shortening of the hip flexor muscles (which allow you to bring your knee to your chest) and the lengthening of the hip extensor muscles (which move your knee away from your chest). This increases the curvature of the lower spine.
One of the most common causes of an anterior pelvic tilt is extra belly weight, including pregnancy weight.5 As the pelvis tilts forward, you are forced to compensate by flexing your back into an abnormal "C" curve.
Prolonged sitting in combination with physical inactivity can also lead to an anterior tilt.6
Symptoms of Forward Pelvic Tilt
With an anterior pelvic tilt, the front of the pelvis drops in relationship to the back of the pelvis, causing symptoms like:
Low back pain
Tight pelvic and thigh muscles
A protruding belly
Possible knee, hip, and feet pain
Treatment and Correction
An anterior pelvic tilt can be relieved by changing certain habits at home and in the office. Among them:
Avoid sitting for prolonged periods, taking regular breaks so that you can stretch and walk.
Avoid sitting on the edge of your work chair, which tilts your pelvis forward even further.
Place a pillow or blanket between your knees to keep your pelvis in a neutral position while sleeping.
Lose weight, if needed.
There are also certain exercises that can help correct an anterior tilt by strengthening the lower back and abdominal muscles:
Squats
Lying pelvic tilts
The plank
Hip flexor stretches
Posterior Pelvic Tilt
A backward tilt is called a posterior pelvic tilt. It is caused by an imbalance between your leg muscles and core muscles, which include the pelvic floor muscles, transverse abdominis muscles, erector spinae muscles, and diaphragm.
A posterior tilt can be caused by many of the same things as an anterior tilt. But, rather than flexing your back muscles, you end up slouching forward. This elongates the muscles past their normal tolerance for stretch.
Your sleeping posture can also contribute if it restricts the natural curve of the lumbar spine. Research shows that pelvic angles differ drastically in a supine position contributing to the degree of the tilt.
Symptoms of Backward Pelvic Tilt
With a posterior pelvic tilt, the front of the pelvis rises while the back of the pelvis drops, leading to symptoms like:
Low back pain
A slumped posture
Rolled-forward shoulders8
Upper back tension
Tight hamstrings
Possible knee and hip pain
Treatment and Correction
As with an anterior pelvic tilt, a posterior pelvic tilt will improve with simple changes in posture. Among them:
Ensure your desk height, chair height, and computer screen are all at the right level so that you do not slump.
Get a chair with lumbar support, or place a small pillow behind your back while you sit.
Place a small rolled-up towel beneath the arch of your lower back as you sleep.
Wear a weight-training belt to keep your spine in a more neutral position.
There are several exercises that can also help correct a posterior pelvic tilt, such as:
Abdominal press-up (a.k.a. the Cobra pose)
Seated hamstring stretches
Glute bridges
Straight leg raises
Back extensions (a.k.a. Superman exercise)
Pelvic Obliquity
Summary
A tilted pelvis usually happens because of poor posture. A forward (anterior) or backward (posterior) pelvic tilt causes back pain because it forces the back to compensate for the misalignment, either by overarching or slumping. They can usually be corrected with exercise and changes in sitting and sleep habits.
Pelvic obliquity, where one hip is higher than the other, is usually caused by a difference in leg length but can also be due to conditions like scoliosis, hip dysplasia, or hip osteoarthritis. The treatment of pelvic obliquity varies by the cause, although physical therapy exercises and orthopedic shoe inserts can help.
How The viyanacare can help you
you will know that your feet need good care all the time, and proper pelivs healthcare looks at the bigger picture. Your pelivs are connected to the function of your knees, hips and lower back, and as sport expert we build better bodies from your pelivs.
At The viyanacare, our team of experience, enthusiastic and highly qualified has worked with numerous professional sports athletes and recreational sport lovers. We will be happy to assess your pelivs, provide advice on useful exercises to adjust anything that sits outside the normal range.
So if you have any questions about pelivs, please come and see us at The viyanacare site.