Pelvic Tilt Exercise


Start this ball exercise by sitting on the exercise ball with a neutral lumbar posture. (How to Sit)
  • Chest should be up, shoulder blades down and back, and head back over your shoulders.
  • Keep your feet flat on the ground shoulder width or slightly further apart.

    • Action
    • Flatten your lower back by sliding your hips forward on the ball.
    • The ball should move forward slightly as you tilt your pelvis.
    • Keep your chest up and your head over your shoulders.
    • Lower trunk musculature.
    Physio Tips
    • The initial temptation is to slouch forward to flatten the lower back and move the ball. Be sure to keep your chest up the whole time and allow your lower back and pelvic muscles to do the work.
    • If you have difficulty with this, try the pelvic tilt in lying.
    Progression This is a basic move that must be mastered on the exercise ball in order to translate what you learn on the ball into functional movement. By performing the pelvic tilt on the exercise ball you learn how to dissociate pelvic movement from lumbar movement and you become aware of the position of your pelvis relative to your lumbar spine. If you don't know where your pelvis sits relative to your lumbar spine then how do you know it's not in a position vulnerable to forces that may injure it?

    If you are having difficulty with this movement, try it in lying. When lying on the floor face up with knees bent, picture your pelvis as a clock. Your belly button is 12:00 and your pubic bone is 6:00.  Tilt your pelvis so that your belly button (12:00) moves toward the floor, and 6:00 moves away from the floor.

    Try it on the ball by envisioning 12:00 moving back, and 6:00 moving forward. Then reverse the movement, pulling 6:00 behind.


    1ballsHold the pelvic tilt position for 5 seconds and repeat 5 times.

    2ballsHold the pelvic tilt position for 3 seconds and repeat 10 times.

    3ballsHold the pelvic tilt position for 3 seconds and repeat 30 times.
       
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