Monday, January 5, 2009

Free back pain relief exercises


Here is one for you - a nice little free booklet of exercises to assist in correcting anterior pelvic tilt, a common cause of back pain.

I know that stretching out the psoas can often relieve my back pain and this booklet explains why a tight psoas can be a problem, tugging your pelvis out of position.

Mobility work is another route to loosening our muscles of course (as in Scott Sonnon's booklet). Anyway, check out the booklet:

4-essential-strategies-for-the-correction-of-anterior-pelvic-tilt

The guy that wrote that has some good free videos on Youtube too, for example


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Of course anterior pelvic tilt is exactly what Esther Gokhale is advocating (though she is specific in wanting a flat upper lumbar region).

I'm curious, Chris, have you rejoined the hip-tuckers?

Chris said...

The anterior tilt that this guy is addressing is the "sway back" that Gokhale is also trying to get rid of - as far as I can see.

Gokhale in her book also explains the need - on occasion - for lengthening the psoas, e.g page 62 talks about the dangers of a tight psoas when lying on your back which will case a "sway back" so she recommends a lunge stretch in the appendix - page 210

Hey - I'm not expert either partly I'm just throwing stuff out there for you to think about yourself.

John Hope said...

Chris,

Could you clarify the difference/similarity between Esther's view and this one?

I've read numerous articles in the past about correcting anterior tilt and, like anonymous above, I was under the impression Esther was encouraging a pelvic position that was considered "wrong" to most people.

Any idea where it crosses from sway to tilt to correct and to tucked?

Chris said...

I think EG's approach is more subtle. As I see it the pelvis is not necessarily the main thing for her - when standing for example it is more about keeping the weight over the heels with a soft groin.

Esther does want a flat lumbar region with the vertebrae stacked straight up. She says for example that when sitting "image you have an extended tail. Place your tail behind you for healthy posture. Do not sit on it. (p71)"

As I see it Visnic is arguing for a neutral pelvis which EG is also after - neither lordotic nor kyphotic (p77 if you have the book)

Anonymous said...

I think the anterior pelvic tilt is a big issue. As was said, there is a difference between that and a sway back. The two don't always go together.

When I look at top college athletes, especially football players, I always see the anterior pelvic tilt now.

I believe that Esther feels the "neutral" position for the pelvis is an anterior tilt. If you relax and let gravity put the pelvis in position, it will be anteverted.