Posterior pelvic tilt

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Bachiano
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jun 07, 2017 3:14 am
Location: Germany

Posterior pelvic tilt

Post by Bachiano »

Hallo,
which are the best options in yin Yoga to correct a Posterior pelvic tilt?
Asanas like Straddle ,or half shoelace are very difficult because I need to pull the muscle and cannot use any gravity.
Maybe seal and sphinx?
Thanks
Bernie
Posts: 1298
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:25 am
Location: Vancouver

How to cure a posterior pelvic tuck

Post by Bernie »

What do you mean by “correct a posterior pelvic tilt?, The pelvis is meant to move posteriorly and anteriorly. Are you stuck in just one position and unable to move the pelvis forward? Or is it just a habit that you tend to tuck your pelvis. Are you seeking this because you have lower back pain? (If so, a 2014 study found that there is actually no correlation to pelvic tilt and back pain, so it may not be the cause of your problem: see Robert A Laird et al. “Comparing lumbo-pelvic kinematics in people with and without back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis, in Laird et al. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2014, 15:229.)

If you are looking for postures that create an anterior tilt of the pelvis, any forward folding posture will do that. You don't need to do Straddle or Shoelace; Caterpillar and Butterfly will work as will simply Dangling. Even Child's Pose creates an anterior tilt of the pelvis.

But, before deciding on any of those, I would wonder what your intention is. Based on that, I would ask what is creating your posterior tilt. Posterior tilt is created by the hip extensor muscles like the anterior stomach muscles (rectus abdominis), hamstrings and glutes; and resisted by the flexor muscles (iliacus, quadricep and back muscles.) If the extensor muscles are tight or the flexor muscles weak (or both) then you may be constantly tucking your pelvis. Deciding on what the cause is will help you decide what prescription to follow: stretch the tight muscles and/or strengthen the weak ones. Or maybe it is none of the above and rather is related to neurological control: you may have programmed your posture to give you a chronic slouch/tuck, and that needs to be changed through mindfully repatterining your movements. Without know the cause, it is hard to prescribe a solution.

Cheers
Bernie
Bachiano
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jun 07, 2017 3:14 am
Location: Germany

Re: how to cure a posterior pelvic tuck

Post by Bachiano »

Hallo and thanks for your ,like always ,very thoughtful answer.
I don't know exactly if I have a posterior pelvic tilt or an hypo-lordosis like I read in an other post ,the fact is that I have an almost flat lumbar curve.
Maybe is connected with my violin profession , infact I tuck my coccyx when I play standing and when I play sitting I need to rest my upper back on the chair because of pain between the blades and that also create a round lower back. The fact is I didn't know to have a problem until I started to meditate almost ten years ago, when it became clear that sitting with crossed legs was not possible for more than five/ten minutes (always for discomfort between the blades never a lower back one) so I switched to a knees seize position ending to meditate lying down ( I had to learn to overcome sleepiness, but that is an other topic ). At that point getting older and noticing that I was losing flexibility I started look into yoga (not strange right?) and positions like
Square or any flexion forward like touching the tip of the toes from the square position was almost impossible, unless I really pull myself down.
I am a runner so yes I have tight hamstrings and I have and am trying to stretch them but it seems not successfully. I really would love to restore the lower curve of the spine that s what my post was about.
Thanks for your time Bernie
Bernie
Posts: 1298
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:25 am
Location: Vancouver

Post by Bernie »

My advice would be to see a professional and get a proper diagnosis. There are many fields that could possible be helpful for you: yoga therapy, Pilates, Rolfing, Alexander technique, and good old physical therapy. I suspect that you don't need to do any of those forward folding postures you have been trying: they will round your lumbar even more. Better to go in the other direction and regain your lost lumbar curve. Try postures like Sphinx, Saddle and then, maybe, Seal pose. But, don't take medical advise via the internet: see someone who can look at you and work out with you a program to try. Good luck!
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