What is a Pelvic Tilt?

Pelvic tilt is a movement of the pelvis that occurs when the lower back is arched or rounded inwards, or when the lower back is flattened or pushed outward. It is commonly performed during exercise routines to help strengthen and tone the abdominal muscles, and can also help reduce back pain and improve posture

The Types of Pelvic Tilt

Anterior pelvic tilt (APT), or the “tucked†pelvis, occurs when the front of the pelvis is higher than the back. To correct an APT, start by doing exercises that target the abdominal and hip muscles. Examples of these exercises include planks, side planks, bridges, hip thrusts, and bird dogs. Additionally, stretches such as the cobra pose, child’s pose, and cat-cow pose can help to improve posture and reduce the tilt. Posterior pelvic tilt (PPT), or the “swayback†pelvis, occurs when the back of the pelvis is higher than the front. To correct a PPT, exercises such as glute bridges, hip extensions, and squats can help strengthen the gluteus and reduce the tilt. Additionally, stretching the quads, hamstrings, and hip flexors can help to improve posture and reduce the tilt.

How to correct an anterior/posterior pelvic tilt

Anterior pelvic tilt:

1. Strengthen the abdominal muscles with exercises such as planks, sit-ups, and bird-dogs. 

2. Strengthen the hip flexor muscles with exercises such as hip bridges and step-ups. 

3. Stretch the hip extensor muscles with exercises such as forward lunges and hip thrusts. 

4. Incorporate postural exercises into your daily routine such as wall sits and shoulder blade squeezes

Posterior pelvic tilt:

1. Strengthen the lower back muscles with exercises such as bridges and planks. 

2. Strengthen the gluteal muscles with exercises such as squats and dead lifts. 

3. Stretch the hip flexor muscles with exercises such as kneeling hip flexor stretches and modified cobra poses. 

4. Incorporate postural exercises into your daily routine such as wall angels and chest lifts.