Neutral Pelvis - What does it mean and how do you find it?
Our pelvis is an incredible part of our body. With two large crest shaped bones making a bowl like shape, the pelvis is what connects the spine to the legs. From here, we can walk, run, bend forward and stand tall. When our pelvis is positioned properly, our spine is aligned correctly and we can therefore move with more control and less pain. But, what position is proper and how do we find it?
The boney landmarks on the front of the pelvis is our guide to find our neutral position. Start by placing the heels of your hands on the front of your hip bones (Anterior Superior Iliac Spine - ASIS) and your fingers on your pubic bone. These three points make a triangle that help us determine which position you like to “sit” in and where your neutral is. When standing, the pubic bone, being the bottom of the triangle, should point straight down to the floor. When lying on your back, the triangle should be flat or parallel with the floor. This is your neutral.
When the triangle is tipped forward, you are in extension, which means that your low back is arched or lifted. When the triangle is tipped back, you are in imprint (flexion), which means that your low back is round or towards the floor. Neither of these positions are bad, we want to be able to move in and out of both of them. Our spine is made to move that way. However, when the spine is under load in any exercise, the optimal position for your pelvis to be in is neutral - the natural position of your spine. Why?
Our spine is made up of small bones called vertebrae and between those bones we have vertebral discs. When we move, those discs act as a cushion between each vertebrae allowing us to move like a string of pearls. This way, we can bend forward, extend back, bend sideways and twist. When our pelvis sits in neutral, our vertebrae are spaced apart evenly and the discs sit comfortably in between each vertebrae, meaning they’re not squished at any point. The end goal is to work in the neutral position so that your spine is happy but we don’t start there.
Our skeletal position has a direct relation to which muscles engage. That means we can make an exercise easier, harder, inefficient or even dangerous by changing the position of our pelvis. Let’s say we are lying on our back. When the pelvis is in extension, the low back will take over and the abdominal muscles will have a harder time engaging. When the pelvis is tucked, the low back will stay relaxed and the abdominal muscles will have a much easier time connecting.
There are differing views of whether the “tuck” or “imprint” is beneficial or not. However, it should be used as a stepping stone to strengthening the deep abdominal layer (TA - see previous blog post). When the TA is not strong enough to hold the load of the legs in tabletop while in neutral, gently tipping the pelvis into an imprint is useful to help stay out of the low back and lessen the load for the core. Gently being the key here. We never want to force our low back towards the mat as this creates tension, something we are trying to train our bodies to let go of, which is a topic for another day. As the TA gets stronger, the end goal is to be able to keep the pelvis in neutral while the legs are lifted.
I always encourage to play with different positions as a way to find out how your body responds. Which muscles engage when you lift your legs while your pelvis is in neutral, extension or imprint? Take note of these differences and see where you feel the strongest. The goal? Keeping your deep abdominals connected and your low back happy.
This article touched on the pelvic positions while lying on your back. Maintaining a neutral pelvic position is important while standing, sitting, on hands and knee, and lying facedown. The next blog post will have to do with finding neutral in these positions.
Until then, happy Pilate-ing!
Tamarra
