April 14th, 2017

What is Anterior Pelvic Tilt?

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:

• It’s natural. Some people simply have a natural posture that skews toward APT. Women have more structural variations which makes it appear their pelvis is anteriorly tilted, but in reality, it's not. Sometimes it’s just how you’re used to standing.
• Desk jobs. When you sit at a computer, there’s a good chance you will sit forward in your chair (to reach the keyboard and to avoid “slouching” into the seat rest). Even if you sit upright however, the muscles which promote anterior pelvic tilt are activated and always on.  Over time, anterior pelvic tilt develops. Your body comes to associate it as its “natural” position.
• Deconditioned abdominals, hamstrings, and glutes. If you use certain groups of muscles in the lower body and not others, either for work, a sport, or as part of your workout, it can change your posture to have excessive APT.

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:

• The “hip flexors” or iliopsoas that rotate the pelvis forward
• The quadriceps or front thigh muscles
• The erector spinae in the lower back

Muscles that are “loose” or weakened with APT include:

• The glutes or “butt muscles”
• The lower abs
• The hamstrings in the back of your thighs

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):

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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.