One of the most profoundly destructive postural imbalances lies in excessive pelvic tilt. It has the ability to create imbalances as far down as the feet, and as high up as the eyes. It lies as the central focus of most back pain corrective programs, and is a hidden factor in other pain syndromes such as neck pain, eye fatigue, ankle pain, and even menstrual cramps. But, is this condition as simple to fix as most therapists promote?
Lets consider the fact that the entire body works as a whole. You cannot affect one aspect of the body’s structure without influencing another. With that said, there are 3 major body centers that interrelate:
1. The head-neck-jaw complex: These three structures are essential for human survival. Think about it, if you lived 10,000 years ago and could not keep your eyes or ears level with the horizon, you would not be very efficient at escaping predators. Just as important, if your jaw was out of alignment significantly, you would not be able to chew, and that would certainly lead to death.
2. The pelvic complex: The pelvis and the hip joints work together to create stability and balance to the center of the body, as well as generating movement. Based on what the head-neck-jaw complex is doing, this area will reflexively coordinate with it. The pelvis is far lower on the survival needs list. With a dysfunctional pelvis, one could live to perform daily functions.
3. The foot-ankle complex: This area provides essential information to the brain about ground forces, how to react, and other key reflex features. When the foot and ankle is imbalanced, ground forces cannot be distributed correctly throughout the body. It is well known in therapeutic circles that imbalances in the feet may contribute strongly to unresolved neck and pain.
As you can see, the body is a complex web of interactions, particularly between these three essential areas. When it comes to correcting pelvic tilt, whether that be excessive anterior pelvic tilt, or excessive posterior pelvic tilt, it would be a very wise suggestion to take the other areas that reflex to them into account!