How to Get Rid of Anterior Pelvic Tilt Before It Throws Your Entire Body Out of Alignment

The anterior pelvic tilt is a forward-angled pelvis that can throw your entire body out of alignment. Here is how to fix your tilted pelvis before it’s too late. 

The anterior pelvic tilt (ATL) describes a condition where your pelvis is rotated forward, creating a change in the body posture.

ATL is caused by a muscle imbalance, where tightness and weakening of the muscles in the lower body pull the pelvis forward. 

Oftentimes, excessive sitting and a sedentary lifestyle contribute to the change in angle. 

Anterior pelvic tilt can lead to a curvature in your spine and create a poor posture where your entire upper body is leaning forward. 

Inevitably, this can lead to a slew of other problems like lower back pain, knee and hip pain, poor posture, and hip rotations. 

Luckily, there are several exercises that you can do at home to help your pelvis return to a pain-free neutral position.

3 Exercises for Anterior Pelvic Tilt

1. Donkey Kicks

This lower-body exercise help strengthen your abdominals and lengthen your back and gluteus muscles. 

How to do the donkey kicks: 

• Start in a tabletop position with your hands and knees on the floor or yoga mat.
• Adjust your hands so your wrists are directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Keep a neutral cervical spine and engage your core before you start. 
• On an exhale, lift the right knee back until your right leg is fully extended and your thigh is parallel to the ground. Your heel should point to the ceiling. If you cannot go as high, that’s ok. Do not hyper-extend to the point you can’t remain your hips neutral. 
• Inhale and return to the starting position. Repeat on the other side and complete 10-12 reps per side. 

2. Glute Bridge

The glute bridge is a beginner-friendly exercise that strengthens your hamstrings and glutes. It also helps opens up hip flexors and stretches your back muscles. 

How to do the glute bridges: 

1. Lay on your back on a yoga mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the mat. Make sure your feet and knees are about hip-width apart. Rest your hands on your side, palms facing down. 
2. Engage your glutes and press up the pelvis to lift your hips off the floor. Hold once your knees are in a straight line with your shoulders. Your back should be flat and don’t overextend. 
3. Release and return to the starting position. Repeat 8-10 times. 

3. Squat 

The squat is a lower-body exercise that builds strength in your glutes, hamstrings, quads, and core. It’s also a functional move that trains you for better performance in everyday activities like walking and running. 

How to do the squats: 

• Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your hands at your waist or hold them straight in front of you at chest level. (sunriseequipment)  
• Engage your core and hinge at your hip joints. Slowly start to bend at the knee joints and lower yourself down until your thighs are parallel to the ground. While squatting down, be sure to pay attention to your chest and back. Retract your shoulder blades to keep your chest up and your back neutral.
• At the bottom, be sure to avoid your knees passing the toes. Take a deep breath and come back to the starting position. 
• Perform 10-12 reps.