Back Issues Are Dumb

[OakLeaf]

That and my goofy anterior-rotated pelvis.

Just make sure it is truly anteriorly rotated. I've had issues before with a lot of people believing mine is anteriorly rotated when it's actually posterior (working on it... getting closer, but still posterior). True neutral pelvis is when the ASIS and the top of the pubic symphysis are in the frontal plane. Some people judge by the ASIS/PSIS in the horizontal plane, because they can palpate both without getting too intimate ... but there's a great deal of anatomical variation, and that line actually doesn't tell anyone anything. Other people just look at the amount of lumbar lordosis, which there are both anatomical and mechanical factors at work there.

Easy way to judge is with a clipboard or cutting board. Mash it into the front of your pelvis so it's touching all three bony points and eyeball it from the side in a full-length mirror.


Or if you're doing yoga - the way I first found my neutral is by doing inversions. When I'm upside down I can't use any of the muscles I usually use to line things up the way I'm accustomed to, and if I don't get neutral I'll tip right over. I was amazed at how far forward I had to rotate my pelvis before I could get the weight of my legs directly over it.


And I need a new mattress too. Sigh.

[zoom-zoom]

Just make sure it is truly anteriorly rotated. I've had issues before with a lot of people believing mine is anteriorly rotated when it's actually posterior (working on it... getting closer, but still posterior). True neutral pelvis is when the ASIS and the top of the pubic symphysis are in the frontal plane. Some people judge by the ASIS/PSIS in the horizontal plane, because they can palpate both without getting too intimate ... but there's a great deal of anatomical variation, and that line actually doesn't tell anyone anything. Other people just look at the amount of lumbar lordosis, which there are both anatomical and mechanical factors at work there.

Easy way to judge is with a clipboard or cutting board. Mash it into the front of your pelvis so it's touching all three bony points and eyeball it from the side in a full-length mirror.

Oh, it's pretty obvious just looking at me what's going on. Some of the following terms have been used to describe my shape: swaybacked, bubble butt, ghetto bootay, "butt you could set a tray of cookies on like a shelf" (that came from my BFF). The graphic on the right looks like a cross-section of me:

[OakLeaf]

Yeah, like I said though, that can come from stiffness in the thoracic spine and can be partially anatomical, too. You can see where the hipbones line up in those drawings and the one on the right is indeed anteriorly tilted, but it's not as easy as if they'd drawn the pelvis as well as the spine. Take a look at this, particularly Fig. 5 - while that one is just pelves without sacra or spines, you can see how the corresponding sacra would have to be at different angles, too.

I'm sure I set myself up for some of the trouble I'm having now by trying to force my pelvis farther and farther into posterior tilt so that my ASIS/PSIS and my lumbar spine would line up to people's satisfaction (including some running instructors and health care professionals') - instead of "lifting my sitbones," as my wonderful yoga teacher puts it.

At this point I look pretty swaybacked when I urge my pelvis towards neutral too, but that's as much from thoracic stiffness as it is simply anatomical. It sure does feel more comfortable to run that way though - I can finally get my legs into full extension - and it's the only way I can balance in headstand or handstand (or could, when my neck and shoulders would allow it ).


I'm not saying yours isn't anteriorly tilted, obviously - just it's important to be sure and not try to go the exact wrong direction the way I did for so long. The fact that you feel that sitting has contributed to it is a clue ... sitting obviously urges the pelvis into a posterior tilt ...

[zoom-zoom]

Interesting--those are very different shapes.

Another thing that has me suspicious that my pelvis is "abnormal" is my seriously tilted uterus, endometriosis, and inability to successfully use menstrual cups (I tried 2 reusable ones and the Instead disposables. All were uncomfortable and leaked...actually, the insteads were comfortable, just useless). Stuff just doesn't fit right. My mom and sister have the same issues. We're all bubble-butted, too (as is my brother).