ANTERIOR PELVIC TILT COULD BE THE REAL VILLAIN OF POSTURAL PROBLEMS
Welcome to the first part of our Postural Tilt Series! Here, we will be diving into anterior pelvic tilt — the sneaky postural misalignment behind a whole lot of low back pain, stiffness, and muscular imbalances you might not even realize are affecting your body.
What Is Anterior Pelvic Tilt?
Picture your pelvis like a bowl. In a neutral posture, that bowl stays level. In anterior pelvic tilt, the front of the pelvis tilts forward, causing the lower back to arch excessively and shifting your entire alignment out of balance.
What Does Anterior Pelvic Tilt Look Like?
Common visual cues include:
A noticeable arch in the lower back
The butt sticking out (“duck posture”)
The belly protruding forward (even if you're fit)
Hamstrings that always feel tight
Shoulders and head may shift forward to compensate
It’s a postural pattern we see in a lot of clients, especially those who sit for long periods or train hard without proper balance in their routine.
What Causes Anterior Pelvic Tilt?
A few common culprits:
Prolonged sitting (desk work, driving, etc.)
Weak core and glute muscles
Tight hip flexors and lower back muscles
Poor postural habits
Wearing high heels frequently
Imbalanced strength training (such as lots of squats and no core strengthening)
These factors all create muscle imbalances that pull your pelvis out of neutral.
Symptoms of Anterior Pelvic Tilt
Low back pain, especially when standing or walking
Tight hips, especially the front of the hips (hip flexors)
Weak glutes and core
Postural fatigue (it takes more effort to stand tall)
Chronic hamstring tightness that does not improve with stretching
These symptoms often sneak up gradually, making it easy to ignore—until pain or movement restrictions show up.
How It Affects the Rest of the Body
Anterior pelvic tilt does not just affect your pelvis and low back. Left untreated, it can lead to:
Increased curvature in the lumbar spine (lumbar lordosis)
Joint stress in the hips, knees, and lower back
Compensations in the upper body (rounded shoulders, forward head posture) causing neck and shoulder pain down the road
Decreased performance in sport and workouts
Higher risk of injuries such as disc issues, sacroiliac joint (SIJ) dysfunction, or knee pain
It’s a whole-body issue—and it needs a whole-body approach.
How to Fix Anterior Pelvic Tilt - Effective Anterior Pelvic Tilt Exercises
1) Transversus abdominus (TA) strengthening
How to do it:
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat.
Flatten your lower back against the floor by gently tilting your pelvis upward and drawing your belly button down.
Hold this for 5-10 seconds.
Should feel a tightening of muscle between the two bony parts of your pelvis.
Do not hold your breath. You should be able to breathe normally while working through this exercise.
Relax and return to the starting position
Perform 10 times X 3 sets.
2) Glute bridges – activate and strengthen glutes
How to do it:
Lay on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor at hip width distance
Pull your belly button down towards the floor, squeeze your glutes and lift your hips up
Hold for 5 seconds at the top squeezing your glutes
Lower down to start position
Repeat 10 X 10 reps, 5 sec hold
3) Planks – build core endurance
How to do it:
Prop yourself up on your forearms
Pull your belly button towards your spine and gently tuck your tailbone to engage your core
Keeping knees on the floor, push yourself up into a plank position
Actively push the floor away from you with your forearms to keep shoulders engaged.
Hold for 10-30 seconds
Repeat 3 times
4) Dead bugs – reinforce controlled pelvic movement
How to do it:
Lying on your back bring your arms up and knees up to 90 degrees
Pull your belly button towards your spine and gently tuck your tailbone to engage your core
Slowly straighten on leg out and lower it down towards the floor
Do not allow your low back to arch
Exhale and bring your leg back up to 90 degrees
Perform on other side and continue alternating sides
3 X 12 reps
5) Hip flexor stretches – release tension in the front of the hips
How to do it:
Start in a low lunge with your back knee on the floor. This will be the side you are stretching.
Gently tuck your tailbone and hold here. You may feel a stretch at the front of your hip already with this tuck.
Shift your weight forward to increase the stretch. Keep your tailbone tucked.
Sidebend your trunk away to increase the stretch even more.
Hold for 20-30 seconds
Repeat 2-3 times
6) Pelvic tilts – to retrain your neutral posture
How to do it:
In standing, place your hands on your hips
Tuck your tailbone down and under and gently pull the bottom of your ribcage at the front towards your pelvis
Hold for 5 seconds
Relax, repeat
Perform 3 X 10 reps, do this throughout your day consistently
Anterior Pelvic Tilt Exercises to Avoid:
Excessive hamstring stretching (they’re already lengthened in this posture)
Heavy back extension exercises that reinforce the arch (eg.) cobra pose)
Crunches with poor form that further pull the pelvis forward
Heavy barbell squats with poor form. It’s essential to get a professional such as a Physiotherapist or qualified Kinesiologist to observe your form during barbell squats and correct your form before adding on the weight
Correcting anterior pelvic tilt isn’t just about stretching—it's about restoring balance across the body.
How to Incorporate These Fixes Into Daily Life
Take movement breaks every 45-60 minutes if you sit a lot. Get up to get yourself a glass of water, take a washroom break, or get up and walk around for 1-2 minutes and perform some of the corrective exercises above.
Add a 5–10 minute corrective routine before or after workouts such as the exercises above.
Practice good posture while standing, walking, and even lying down. Gently tuck in your tailbone to neutralize your lumbar spine. Unlock your knees to allow for a microbend while standing if you tend to hyperextend normally.
Be mindful of footwear choices that affect alignment (like high heels).
The key is consistency—just a few minutes daily can lead to major improvements over time.
What Happens If You Don’t Address It?
Chronic anterior pelvic tilt can lead to:
Structural changes in your spine leading to disc injuries
Persistent low back pain
Increase hip tension and pain
Decreased flexibility and mobility
Postural fatigue and early joint degeneration
Greater risk of injuries due to poor mechanics
Anterior pelvic tilt doesn’t have to be something you live with long-term. With the right treatment plan, it can be corrected. Addressing it now can help prevent future injuries, improve your posture, and finally relieve that nagging low back pain you’ve been carrying around for years.
How Therapy X Can Help
The best approach is collaborative—and that’s exactly what we do. While each of our services can help relieve low back pain, the right combination for you will depend on your unique presentation. Your clinician will determine the best course of treatment plan after a thorough assessment tailored to your specific needs when you come in. Not sure where to start? Entering through any of these services will be a great start and from there, your clinician will be able to refer you on to the best ones suitable for your needs as part of your plan.
🔵 Physiotherapy Your physiotherapist will assess your posture, mobility, and movement patterns, then design a corrective plan tailored to your body.
🟢 Chiropractic Realigns the spine and improves joint function, especially in the lower back and pelvis, reducing compensations and restoring optimal alignment.
🟠 Massage Therapy Targets tight muscles like the hip flexors, quads, and lower back, improving tissue health and reducing muscular tension.
🟡 Fascial Stretch Therapy Releases deep fascia and restores movement through the entire kinetic chain—not just isolated muscles.
🔷 Kinesiology Helps retrain how you move. Our kinesiologists design strength and movement plans to help you stay aligned and strong in daily life.
The best part? We work together on your care plan. Everyone’s on the same page, with shared treatment notes and team discussions so you don’t have to play telephone between clinicians. Your body deserves a team that works as one.
Final Thoughts
Anterior pelvic tilt is common, correctable, and worth addressing. Whether you're seeking low back pain relief, better posture, you want to invest in preventative care, or just want to move and feel better, this is your first step.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of our Postural Tilt Series: Posterior Pelvic Tilt, also known as the “Sway Back”—coming soon.
Need help fixing your posture? Book an appointment todayand let our expert team guide you back to balance. Have more questions? Call us at 604-742-3688or visit our clinic in South Granville, Vancouver to speak with one of our clinical coordinators for more information.
