Pelvic tilt is the orientation of the

pelvis The pelvis (plural pelves or pelvises) is the lower part of the trunk, between the abdomen and the thighs (sometimes also called pelvic region), together with its embedded skeleton (sometimes also called bony pelvis, or pelvic skeleton). The ...

in respect to the

thighbones The femur (; ), or thigh bone, is the proximal bone of the hindlimb in tetrapod vertebrates. The head of the femur articulates with the acetabulum in the pelvic bone forming the hip joint, while the distal part of the femur articulates with t ...

and the rest of the body. The pelvis can tilt towards the front, back, or either side of the body. Anterior pelvic tilt and posterior pelvic tilt are very common abnormalities in regard to the orientation of the pelvis.

Forms

*Anterior pelvic tilt is when the front of the pelvis drops in relationship to the back of the pelvis. For example, this happens when the

hip flexors A flexor is a muscle that flexes a joint. In anatomy, flexion (from the Latin verb ''flectere'', to bend) is a joint movement that decreases the angle between the bones that converge at the joint. For example, one’s elbow joint flexes when one ...

shorten and the hip extensors lengthen. It is also called lumbar hyperlordosis. *Posterior pelvic tilt is the opposite, when the front of the pelvis rises and the back of the pelvis drops. For example, this happens when the hip flexors lengthen and the hip extensors shorten, particularly the

gluteus maximus The gluteus maximus is the main extensor muscle of the hip. It is the largest and outermost of the three gluteal muscles and makes up a large part of the shape and appearance of each side of the hips. It is the single largest muscle in the human ...

which is the primary extensor of the hip. *Lateral pelvic tilt describes tilting toward either right or left and is associated with

scoliosis Scoliosis is a condition in which a person's spine has a sideways curve. The curve is usually "S"- or "C"-shaped over three dimensions. In some, the degree of curve is stable, while in others, it increases over time. Mild scoliosis does not t ...

or people who have legs of different length. It can also happen when one leg is bent while the other remains straight, in that case the bent side's hip can follow the femur as knee lowers towards the ground. *Left pelvic tilt is when the right side of the pelvis is elevated higher than the left side. *Right pelvic tilt is when the left side of the pelvis is elevated higher than the right side.

References

{{reflist Anatomy Bodyweight exercises Human anatomy Pelvis

Forms

See also

References