Hyperlordosis or lordosis is an extreme inward curvature of the lower back. Individuals who are suffering from this condition often look as if they are sticking their buttocks out. Though this can happen to anyone, still, it is common among young children and women. Some women may suffer from this condition after pregnancy, or it is common in people who sit for a prolonged time.
Symptoms of Lordosis
Some common symptoms are:
- Low back pain
- Nerve problems
- Poor pelvis position
- Sometimes more serious conditions like spondylolisthesis
If your lordosis starts to affect your nerves, you may experience pain throughout your body.
Causes of the Lordosis
The prime causes of lordosis are poor posture or poor pelvic position. If your body position doesn’t get support, then it may cause the surrounding spine muscles to overcompensate. Thus, the lumbar region starts to move out of place. Obesity also gives extra stress to the lower back as you are carrying excess weight. Other factors that are responsible for lordosis are additional spinal conditions and degenerative joint diseases.
Lordosis Treatment
If you are experiencing any discomfort or the above symptoms in your lumbar region, you should get in touch with a doctor. You should treat an excessive curvature to prevent further damage over time. A plethora of exercises for lordosis will strengthen the glutes, hamstrings, abdominal muscles, and back muscles. Several medical studies have proved that these lumbar lordosis exercises will help in realigning your pelvic tilt and reduce lower back pain. These exercises are beneficial in managing your weight and also improve your mental health.
Best Exercises for Lordosis
Lordosis Can Be Corrected Through these 7 exercises-
1. Plank
Plank has many resemblances to a push-up position. But in this posture, you need to rest on your elbows (instead of resting on your hands) and bring them directly beneath your chest.
- After kneeling, you need to lean forward and keep your elbows on the ground directly underneath your shoulders.
- Elevate your knees off of the floor and push your feet back. You need to keep your back straight so that your neck is aligned with the rest of your spine.
- Hold this position for 10-15 seconds and tighten your core muscles as much time as you can.
2. Side Plank
This has many similarities to the original plank, but here you need to do balancing on one side.
- Lie on the floor on your side, facing sideways with your feet together.
- Elevate your body until you are supporting yourself with your elbow
- Raise your hips and make a straight line and tighten your core muscles. Your body must create an angle from your shoulders to your feet
- Hold this position without dipping your hips.
- Now, repeat the move for the opposite side
3. Pelvic Tilt with Exercise Ball
- Sit on a ball by spreading your legs at a 90-degree angle with your feet flat on the floor
- Keep your shoulders back and spine straight
- Incline your hips forward and flex your abdominals tight
- Once you stick your tailbone out, tilt your hips backward
- Move back and forth slowly
- Repeat this posture 10 times for 3 sets
4. Superman
- First, you need to lie down on your stomach, face down, with your arms out in front of you.
- Raise your arms, legs, and chest off the floor concurrently without moving your hips
- Hold the position for two seconds
- Lower back down slowly
- Repeat the posture for times
5. Dead Bugs
This amazing core strengthening exercise stables your spine during movements of the legs and arms. This exercise is specifically designed for abdominus muscle.
- Lie flat on your back and keep your arms and legs pointing straight up away from the body
- Now, breathe in and when you exhale, pull your belly button to your spine
- Lower your left arm and right leg at the same time until they are soaring a few inches above the floor
- Back to the initial position and repeat the exercise on the other side.
- Try to complete 3 to 5 sets.
6. Hamstring Curl
The hamstrings are the large muscles that support your neural pelvic alignment. You need to build robust and sturdy hamstring muscles. This exercise is designed for your hamstrings (semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris), calf muscles (gastrocnemius), and hip flexors (sartorius, gracilis, and popliteus)
- First, you need to tie a resistance band into a loop around a pole or sturdy object
- Lie flat on your stomach and keep your feet a foot or two away from the pole
- Loop the band around your ankle
- Bend your knee and raise your ankle towards your buttocks
- Now, do the same movement to the working leg, without interrupting other things.
- Repeat this posture 15 times and then, try on another side
- Try to finish 3 sets on each side
7. Hip Bridge
- First, you need to lie down on your back with your knees bent and raised
- Your feet should be flat on the floor, and your arms at your sides
- Make a distance between your feet and hip and try to keep your leg in vertical alignment with your knee
- Flex your glutes and push through your heels to raise your hips upward
- Create a diagonal line from your shoulders to your knees
- Before bending your back down, hold for a moment
- Repeat 10 times for 3 sets.
Loss of lumbar lordosis exercises will be effective in treating patients who have mild lordosis. But for severe cases, it can be cured with surgery. Also, make sure to first understand lordosis exercises to avoid and choose your exercises wisely after consulting with a physician.
The Bottom Line
If exercises aggravate your pain, you should stop them immediately. Sometimes, pain associated with lordosis can be a sign of other conditions and you may need to consult a chiropractor. Only a few lordosis cases may require surgery and can’t be treated alone with exercise.