Home Exercise Library

Pelvic Tilts (lying and standing)

Clinical content from the Auto Injury Chiropractic home rehab program. Final clinical reviewer: Dr. Seth Hill, DC. How we review content

These exercises are for education. After a car accident or injury, get checked by a provider before you start. They do not replace an exam.

Demonstration video: Supine Posterior Pelvic Tilt (OrthoIndy). Follow the steps on this page if the video differs.

In our programs

Low Back and SI Joint, Phase 1 LB-1 #22 times a day, 10 reps
Low Back and SI Joint, Phase 2 LB-2 #42 times a day, 10 reps

The dose and steps can differ by program.

Low Back and SI Joint, Phase 1: Pelvic Tilts LB-1 #2

Wake up low back motor control

Dose2 times a day, 10 reps

You needA mat or carpeted floor

Photos

Pelvic Tilts: Arch: low back lifts slightly — Arch: low back lifts slightly

Pelvic Tilts: Flatten: low back presses toward the table — Flatten: low back presses toward the table

Why it helps

Your pelvis can rock forward and backward. After an injury, this motion gets stuck. Pelvic tilts wake up the small muscles that control your low back and pelvis, and teach your brain that gentle motion is safe.

How to do it

Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor, about shoulder width apart.
Find your natural low back curve. There should be a small space between your low back and the floor.
Tilt your pelvis backward by pressing your low back flat into the floor. Like trying to flatten a fold in a sheet under you.
Hold 3 seconds. Then tilt your pelvis the other way, lifting your low back slightly away from the floor.
Hold 3 seconds. Slowly switch back and forth. Do 10 full rocks.

Too hard? Try this

Just do the flatten-to-floor part. Skip the lift-up part. Or hold each position only 1 second.

Too easy? Try this

Add slow, controlled breathing: inhale as you tilt one way, exhale as you tilt the other.

Common mistakes

You move from your hips and legs instead of your low back.
You tighten your buttocks hard to push your back down.
You go too fast and bounce.

You should feel

Small, controlled motion in your low back.
Your low back feeling like it is waking up.

You should not feel

Sharp pain in your low back.
Pain shooting down a leg.

Stop right away if

Sharp pain shooting down your leg.
Numb or tingly leg or foot.
Sudden weakness in a leg.

If you are one of our current patients, call the clinic and inform your provider right away, or seek emergency care right away. For a life-threatening emergency, call 911.

Low Back and SI Joint, Phase 2: Standing Pelvic Tilts LB-2 #4

Carry awareness to standing

Dose2 times a day, 10 reps

You needA wall (helpful but optional)