What is Anterior Pelvic Tilt?How do I know if I have anterior pelvic tilt? Check out this video: However, even if all of your tests showed you didn't have anterior pelvic tilt (APT) in standing, you could very well have excessive APT when sitting, walking, squatting, planking, or really doing anything. It's during these movements that even a slight tendency towards APT can directly contribute to back pain or other issues. What causes APT? APT happens for many reasons. For example:
What muscle groups are involved in APT? There is a two-way relationship between APT and certain muscle groups. On the one hand, if you have APT, your body uses some muscles to stabilize you (making them tighter or stronger) and not others (which become looser). On the other hand, as these muscles become tighter and looser respectively, it will reinforce your APT. It’s a self-perpetuating cycle. Muscles that are “tight” with APT include:
Muscles that are “loose” or weakened with APT include:
These tightened and loosened muscles are the key to fixing APT. Simply by activating the right muscles, you can get out of excessive APT. For some, it will take months. For others, it might be a year or longer. However, it will happen with consistent work. How do I fix my APT? The secret to fixing APT is to “activate” or engage the loose muscles listed above. You do this by consciously changing your posture to bring the front of your pelvis up. Basically, you want to stand as if you are tucking your booty in. Here I am standing with APT (on the left) and practicing the corrective posture with my pelvis forward (on the right): Standing this way can be awkward at first. You will feel like you must have your pelvis way too forward—like everyone will wonder what you’re doing. But you’ll actually look very normal. It only feels like you’re thrusting forward because you’re not used to it.
You don’t have to do this all day, every day. All you have to do is make a conscious effort to do this posture when you find yourself standing. The more you practice it, the easier and more natural it will get. There are also exercises you can do to fix APT faster and get relief from pain. I’ll describe my full APT-busting routine in future blog posts. Do any of the above signs of APT ring true for you? When you get a side view of yourself, does it ever look like you’re sticking your butt out? What are the APT symptoms you struggle with most? Leave a comment below and tell us what your APT is like.
2 Comments
Matt Williamson, SFMA, ART
4/20/2017 09:17:23 am
It is a shame that so many people do not understand the relationship between proper pelvic alignment and how that relates to excessive tension and pain in other areas of the body. Great job!
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Von
4/20/2017 03:01:28 pm
Thanks a lot Matt! I'll definitely delve into the effects anterior pelvic tilt will have on the rest of the body in the future.
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