Posterior pelvic tilt and posture body imbalances often occur from a lack of movement. Strengthening and stretching your leg and core muscles can usually help improve your posture.

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Body imbalances often occur from a lack of movement, especially for people who sit most of the day. This lack of movement contributes to:

  • weak and tight leg muscles
  • shortened tendons around the pelvic bones
  • improper balance
  • poor posture

All of these factors can cause a posterior pelvic tilt. This is when your glutes tuck inwards and the upper body rounds back.

Like an anterior pelvic tilt, where the lower back arches inward, a posterior pelvic tilt puts a lot of stress on your lower back. This can eventually lead to back pain, including sciatica, which is pain that runs down the back of one of your glutes or thighs.

It’s possible to correct a posterior pelvic tilt with exercise. Learn five exercises you can do to help create strong leg and core muscles to improve your posture.

Read more: 5 easy foam roller exercises »

Lunges build up your glutes, quads, and hamstrings. Strong leg muscles can help correct a posterior pelvic tilt by preventing any one muscle from dominating.

How-to

  1. Stand with your feet together and step your right leg out in front of you.
  2. Bend the right leg at a 90-degree angle. Your other knee should touch the floor with your right leg still at a 90-degree angle. A mirror can help you check your position. Push off your right foot to return to the starting position.
  3. Step forward with your left leg and form a 90-degree angle to touch your right knee to the floor.
  4. Repeat for 3 sets of 10–15 lunges.

Caution: Do not bend your knees past your toes, which can hurt your knees. If you have bad knees, you may want to skip lunges and work on other leg exercises instead.

Read more: Core and hip exercises to correct swayback »

Hamstrings are the three back muscles on your legs. Sitting and standing for a long time can cause them to get tight, which may lead to bad posture.

How-to

  1. Sit in a hard chair without a cushion, and stretch out one leg in front of you.
  2. Bend forward from the hip, making sure to keep the back straight, until you feel the stretch in the back of your leg.
  3. Hold for 10–30 seconds.
  4. Switch to the other leg and repeat on the other side.

Read more: Lunge alternatives to try »

This exercise is called the “superman” because it looks like a superhero in flight. It can help strengthen your lower back and gluteus maximus muscles connected to your pelvis.

How-to

  1. Lie on the floor on your stomach and stretch your arms out in front of you.
  2. Lift your chest off the floor and try to hold that position for 10 to 30 seconds. Then lower.
  3. Repeat this for 3 sets with a 10-second break in between.

Caution: If you have a bad back, it’s best to skip this exercise. You also may want to lay a towel or a mat down on the floor to make this exercise more comfortable.

This stretch gets its name from the venomous cobra snake’s upright stance. The Cobra pose is ideal for a posterior pelvic tilt, as the front body lengthening engages muscles in the spine, back, glutes, and hamstrings.

Improved spinal flexibility supports better posture and reduces lower back discomfort, particularly if you’re dealing with menstrual pain, which naturally makes you want to hunch over.

How-to

  1. Start with your belly facing down on the mat. Angle your legs in line with your hips, point your toes, and breathe into the next movement.
  2. Gently bending your elbows, push yourself up off the floor, until you feel the extension in your back.
  3. Be mindful not to lock your elbows as you support your weight with your hands and wrists for 15–30 seconds. Take deep inhales and exhales as you move in and out of the pose.

Caution: For a modified Cobra pose that doesn’t put as much strain on your back or neck, stay with your elbows bent and belly on the floor. Place your gaze ahead of you, tilting your chin downward into a comfortable position.

Also called self-myofascial release, foam rolling is essentially like massage therapy. It’s great post-workout to help relieve tension in various parts of your body. You can purchase foam rollers online or at sporting goods stores.

Foam rolling loosens the fascia or the connective tissue beneath the skin that is necessary for proper movement. You can foam roll any part of your body, but focusing on your legs may help posterior pelvic tilt.

How-to

  1. Lay on your side and put the foam roller under your calf area.
  2. Slowly roll the foam roller up your calf and focus on any “hot spot.” This is an area where you feel extra tension or tightness.
  3. Roll over this area for 30 seconds.
  4. Switch legs and perform the same movement. You can also do the same for your thighs.
  5. For more pelvic focus and benefit, lie on your back and move the foam roller up the back of your leg.
  6. Roll the foam up your hamstrings and to your glutes. Sit on any hot spots and focus rolling on that area. Switch legs and do it again.

Although you may feel pain at times, foam rolling can feel relaxing and serve as a form of massage. You can also foam roll across your middle back and massage your spine.

Keep reading: Other hamstring exercises »

Movement is essential to keeping yourself healthy. A sedentary lifestyle with little movement can increase your risk of back pain, poor posture, and more. Incorporating these simple exercises into your daily routine can help your body move better, stand taller, and support itself.

Keep reading: More exercises for a rounded back »