Why does hyperlordosis occur and what is dangerous?
Common causes of acquired lumbar hyperlordosis include excess weight, pregnancy, osteoporosis, spondylolisthesis, and a sedentary lifestyle.
Walking in heels is also often cited as a cause of hyperlordosis. However, scientists from Measurement of lumbar lordosis in static standing posture with and without high-heeled shoes have not confirmed this dependence.
Deformation and displacement of the vertebrae with lumbar hyperlordosis threaten pinched nerve roots, intervertebral hernias, inflammation of the muscles surrounding the spine, and other complications.
What happens to the muscles
With any violation of posture, excessive rigidity of some muscles and weakness of others are observed. And lumbar hyperlordosis is no exception.
Here is a list of stiff muscles that pull on the spine:
But here are weak muscles that are constantly in a stretched position:
How to tell if you have excessive arching in your lower back
With hyperlordosis, the lower back may hurt, especially when walking and other physical activity, and also if you sleep on your stomach.
If you are experiencing lower back pain, consult your doctor. An orthopedic doctor determines the presence of hyperlordosis and the severity of the disease by X-ray films of the spine, as well as by visual examination.
Severe forms of lumbar hyperlordosis (if you have this particular disorder) are treated with medications, physiotherapy, manual therapy, massage and exercise therapy. A set of measures allows you to effectively influence the muscles around the spine and restore correct posture.
If you don't have pain or limited mobility, but you suspect your posture is misaligned, here are some tests to check.
Pelvic bone test
For this test you will need chalk or pencil, a vertical plane, a ruler and a protractor.
Feel the protruding bones of the pelvis in front and behind - the anterior and posterior superior iliac spine.
Mark on the plane the level of the anterior superior spine, and then the level of the posterior one. Draw two parallel lines and then connect the marks and measure the angle. Normally, the pelvic tilt angle should be from 7 to 15 degrees.
Two palm test
This is a simpler test that does not require measurements. Simply place the edge of one palm on your diaphragm and the other on your lower abdomen. Ideally, one palm should be placed above the other.
If your upper arm extends forward relative to your lower arm, you have an excessive arch in your lower back.
Training goals and objectives
Exercises for deflection of the lower back must be done carefully, developing the articulations of the vertebrae. Lumbar
deflection is lordosis, a bend with protrusion of the spine inward. The vertebrae here are massive, as they support half the body weight. With anatomically correct bends, the vertebrae are located exactly above each other - congruently, and taking into account the bend. In this case, the joints remain mobile relative to each other, but at the same time maintain a stable body position in any position.
Violation of the articulation of the vertebrae inevitably leads to disease. The spine can no longer withstand even ordinary household stress. To stabilize the position, the muscles around the joints tense too much, becoming hypertonic and causing pain. In the absence of sufficient bending, the pelvis moves forward, which disrupts the normal functioning of the hip joints. Posture deteriorates: with a flat lower back, the stomach protrudes forward, and kyphosis in the upper back increases in order to compensate for insufficient lordosis.
Poor posture provokes displacement and prolapse of internal organs. This change occurs slowly, but is fraught with serious complications.
Lordosis combined with well-developed gluteal muscles provides a beautiful body contour. At the same time, the waist seems thinner, the buttocks are higher, and the stomach automatically tightens with correct posture.
At the same time, it is recommended to pump up the muscles to avoid displacement of the vertebrae.
The purpose of the exercise to improve the deflection in the lower back is to restore the correct position of the vertebrae and the functioning of the back muscles. The aesthetic factor is also taken into account.
- Returning the vertebrae to the anatomically correct position - exercises force the joints to move relative to each other in the opposite order. The same effect can be achieved by constantly and consciously maintaining the correct position of the back. However, constant control requires too much strength, and prolonged tension, even in the correct position, still causes pain in the lumbar region. Exercise has a stronger but shorter-lasting effect.
- Relieving spasm - to compensate for the lack of stability of the vertebrae, the muscles around them become very tense. Gymnastics for the spine first forces overstrained muscles to contract more strongly - “to overcome the spasm” - and then to relax. This is the most effective way to get rid of pain.
- Increasing the distance between the vertebrae. When displaced, the intervertebral discs become deformed and flattened. The correct position and work of other muscles during exercise relieves the discs from excess stress. The spine is stretched, aligned, and becomes more mobile. It is this effect that ensures the flexibility of ballerinas and gymnasts.
- The deflection returns the pelvis to its normal position.
You can also pump up your muscles with exercises. However, this is not the main goal. On the other hand, a pumped-up lower back does not allow the spine and pelvis to take an incorrect position.
How to fix hyperlordosis
To correct your posture, you need to tone weak muscles and at the same time relieve tension from hard ones. Let's start by relaxing the tight muscles.
Stretching exercises
Since the tight muscles are located deep, it is impossible to roll them out on massage rollers or balls. Therefore, we will relax them with stretching.
Cat - cow
This exercise warms up and stretches the back extensor muscles well.
Get on all fours. Arch your back upward, starting from your lower back. Try to feel that your back is rising vertebra by vertebra.
Now gradually, vertebra by vertebra, bend down, starting from the thoracic region and ending with the lumbar region.
Repeat 5-8 times.
Tilt towards the legs with stretching
This exercise will give you a good stretch for the quadratus lumborum and spinal extensor muscles. You can use a stopwatch or just count to yourself.
Sit on the floor, stretch your legs straight forward. Bend over without bending your knees and stretch forward for 10 seconds, rounding your back, as in the photo on the left.
Now, tensing your back extensor muscles, bend in the other direction, as in the photo on the right. Hold this position for 10 seconds.
Bend to your feet again and stretch for another 40 seconds.
Perform 3-5 such cycles. By slightly contracting the muscles, you can deepen the pose and better stretch the deep muscles.
Quadratus lumborum stretch
Sit on the floor, leave your right leg in front, bring your left leg back. The angle in both knees is 90 degrees.
Tilt your body to the right, place your right hand on the floor, with your left stretch to the side and forward, stretching your entire left side.
Try to pull your left hip down and back as you stretch. Hold the pose for 30 seconds, and then repeat on the other side.
Iliopsoas stretch
Get down on one knee. There should be right angles between the thigh and shin, thigh and body.
Tighten your buttocks by twisting your pelvis. Lower your shoulders, squeeze your shoulder blades, tighten your abs. Maintain tension until the end of the exercise.
From this position, rock back and forth a little. Continue rocking for 1 minute, then switch legs and repeat.
In this exercise, it is important to keep your buttocks tight and your pelvis twisted. If you do everything correctly, you will feel tension in the groin at the supporting leg.
iliopsoas stretch on the floor
Lie on the floor on your stomach. Bend your right knee, lift your shin and grab your ankle with your right hand.
Twist your pelvis and lift your body up. Only the chest section rises, the gaze is directed downwards, the neck is straight. Hold this pose for a second, then lower onto your stomach and switch legs.
Repeat 5 times on each leg.
These five exercises will take you no more than 12–15 minutes. After them, the feeling of fatigue will disappear, the back will feel more flexible.
However, stretching is not enough to correct your posture. You also need strength exercises that will tone weak muscles.
Strength exercises
Slow crunches
Lie on the floor on your back, stretch your arms above your head. Begin to slowly twist your back, first lifting your arms and neck, then your thoracic spine, and only then your lumbar spine. At the extreme point you sit, the angle between your legs and body is 90 degrees, your arms are extended upward.
Begin to lower yourself slowly until you reach the starting position. Do the exercise 10 times.
Each rise and fall should be completed no faster than 20 seconds - count to yourself or watch a stopwatch.
Try to spend more time in the most difficult positions, do not linger at the extreme points: as soon as you touch the floor, immediately raise your body again.
Classic and side planks
Get into a classic hand plank position for 30 seconds. Turn to the side and lift one arm off the floor into a side plank. Hold the pose for another half a minute.
Return to a straight plank position for 30 seconds. Now go into a side plank on the other side for 30 seconds.
Complete as many cycles as you can.
Exercise "Vacuum"
This exercise helps tone the transverse abdominis muscle, which supports the internal organs.
Lie on your back, bend your knees, place your feet on the floor. Place your hand on your stomach below your navel to control the movement.
Inhale so that your stomach inflates and the hand lying on it rises. Exhale and imagine that you need to touch your navel to the floor or to your spine. At the same time, the stomach will be strongly drawn in. Stay in this position for 3-5 seconds.
Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Exercises for hips and buttocks
There are many exercises to strengthen the gluteus maximus and hamstring muscles:
- Any squats: with dumbbells, barbells, expanders, jumping.
- Lunges: on two or one leg, moving around the gym or standing still, with or without free weights.
- Deadlift: with a barbell or dumbbells, on two or one leg.
For options and techniques for performing exercises for the hips, see this article. Here are exercises for the buttocks if you hate squats, and in the video below if you love them.
Pick four exercises—two for your glutes and two for your hamstrings—and incorporate them into your workout.
Contraindications and restrictions
Exercises should be performed carefully by people with osteochondrosis.
Restrictions for exercises are associated only with special conditions:
- Acute inflammatory diseases or exacerbation of chronic ones - in this condition, the muscles lose their elasticity and cannot contract well.
- Injuries, fractures, severe diseases of internal organs.
- Late pregnancy – it is not advisable to give up exercise completely, since during pregnancy the lower back is subject to additional stress. However, strength options and exercises lying on your stomach should be abandoned.
- The heavy weight makes work very difficult. It puts stress on the joints and makes it difficult to maintain balance. Excess belly fat precludes crease-type exercises.
For diseases of the musculoskeletal system, including hernias and protrusions, exercises can and should be performed.