Don't fix a posterior pelvic tilt. Mobilize it!

As the saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” 

But If you find out you have a posterior pelvic tilt, you might have the urge to do just that. Or maybe you’ve been instructed to do so by a coach or PT. 

Here’s what you need to know: fixing a posterior pelvic tilt isn’t worth your time and effort. This is true even if you get hip or back pain. 

Why?  

Because a posterior pelvic tilt, by itself, does not cause pain or movement problems. It’s the inability to move the pelvis through its full range of motion that causes issues.

The goal with any exercise program is to give you more movement options, and not to create some arbitrary “perfect” posture.    

In this article, I’ll provide some easy exercises you can try to start unlocking a rigid pelvis. 

What is a posterior pelvic tilt?

When it comes to chronic hip or low back pain, most of the blame usually gets put on an anterior pelvic tilt (“APT”). 

An APT is more common than a posterior one in the general population so that’s probably why.  

But the theory is the same: the pelvis is tilted posteriorly in a standing posture so pain, discomfort, and movement problems result. 

An easy way to understand a posterior pelvic tilt (“PPT”) is to see it as the opposite of APT.  

The top of the pelvis and low back tuck under as opposed to arch backward. 

When I teach pelvic mobility to students, I spend a good amount of time going through the two positions, so the difference becomes crystal clear in their mind.

There is nothing wrong or unhealthy with either of these two positions. It’s the inability to easily go from one position to the other that can cause problems. 

Also, most images out there show people in either an APT or PPT when they’re standing. But of course, movement is much more varied than standing straight up. 

What happens when this person sits, walks, jumps, runs, squats, etc.? 

Pelvic position changes based on the position that we’re in. In other words, one can stand with a PPT but sit with an APT. 

Another important point is that PPT and APT are just the movements the pelvis is capable of in the sagittal plane. 

The pelvis also moves in the frontal and transverse planes. 

A pelvis that moves well is one that can move through all these planes with comfort. 

Posterior Pelvic Tilt Exercises

The exercises in this section will help you mobilize the pelvis in all its ranges of motion.  

If an exercise feels challenging for you that means you need it. The opposite is also true. If an exercise feels easy, then you probably don’t need it as much. 

This is true even if it should be difficult based on your posture. 

For example, getting into an anterior pelvic tilt when standing is easy for you even though you usually stand in a posterior pelvic tilt. 

Listen to your body, not your analytical mind. Your body knows what it needs better than your thinking brain. 

Closing Thoughts 

Our self-image is one of the strongest factors in how our bodies feel on a day-to-day basis.  

If we look at our bodies as damaged or dysfunctional because of some slight deviation in pelvic position, then this is how it will feel. 

In my personal experience, a major shift happened in my movement practice when I started focusing more on moving better rather than fixing some type of postural deformity. 

The more movement options you have, the more confident your self-image becomes. 

Not only do you become more resilient but you also feel more resilient.