The alignment of your pelvis is the primary source of your overall posture and affects your risks for back pain and other injuries. By correcting your pelvis's position and increasing your pelvic muscles' strength and mobility, you can alleviate and prevent back and hip pain, according to Anthony Carey, owner of Function First in San Diego. Many sports and activities require you to have proper pelvic and spinal alignment to produce proper movement patterns, speed and strength.
Functional Anatomy
Your pelvic muscles consist of an outer and an inner unit. The inner unit is located closest to your joints and stabilizes them to prevent them from losing their alignment and dislocating. These muscles include your pelvic floor muscles and internal and external rotators of your hip joints. The outer unit produces hip and leg movement, strength and power. These include your buttocks, adductors, or inner thighs, and other superficial muscles in your outer thigh. Your pelvic muscles connect to other muscles in your torso and limbs with connective tissues and nerves. If your pelvic muscles are weak or have limited mobility, they affect how your spine, shoulders and other joints are aligned and your entire body's range of motion.
Benefits
A strong pelvis allows you to transfer strength from your lower body to your upper body. It works with abdominal muscles to stabilize your hip and spine from moving when you lift a heavy object from the ground to above your head. A strong pelvis also reduces your risks of back injuries and developing poor posture.
Misconceptions
Many people believe that exercising at a particular body part will help reduce body fat from that region only, such as doing hip exercises to reduce hip size. According to sports dietitian Ellen Coleman, author of "Ultimate Sports Nutrition," your body's fat-burning process occurs throughout your body, not just in one place. Exercising your hips or other body parts with resistance can stimulate muscle growth and increase size. The only way to permanently reduce body fat is to burn more calories than you eat.
Floor-Based Exercises
Carey recommends you start doing pelvic exercises from the ground and progress to a standing position. The floor bridge provides a basic activation of your buttocks and pelvic floor muscles. Lie on the ground on your back with your arms by your sides and your palms facing up. Place your legs about hip-width apart, and point your toes forward. Lift your buttocks up as high as you can, and hold the position for three seconds. Lower your buttocks down until it almost touches the ground, and repeat.
Standing Position
There are three basic standing strength exercises for the pelvic region, according to physical therapist Gray Cook, author of "Movement." For the squat, stand with your feet hip-width apart and lower yourself to a deep squatting position while keeping your torso upright. Keep your heels on the ground and your feet pointing forward. For step-ups, stack a set of aerobic steps to about as high as your knees. Step up onto the platform with your right leg, and keep your left leg extended behind you. Lower yourself down and repeat the movement on the same leg. For lunges, stand with your feet slightly apart, and step forward with your right leg. Lower your body down by bending both legs until your left knee almost touches the ground, then repeat on the other side. For all exercises, keep your spine in neutral position where it maintains its natural curves. All of these exercises strengthens your pelvic muscles as well as your legs, abdominals and back.
Warning
If you have any existing pain while exercising, whether it is caused by arthritis, back pain or other causes, consult with a qualified medical professional for treating the source of the pain before continuing to exercise.
References
- "Pain-Free Program"; Anthony Carey; 2005
- "Movement"; Gray Cook; 2010
- "Ultimate Sports Nutrition"; Ellen Coleman; 2004
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