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Lordosis

post #1 of 11
12/17/09 at 1:55pm
Thread Starter 
Anyone know any good exercises to minimize lordosis (excessive front to back curvature of the spine)?

I've googled it, and though some exercises that come up make sense, others contradict previous exercises, like saying you should stretch this muscle vs. stretch the opposing muscle.

Frankly it's not very stylish or confidence inspiring, and I'm afraid it will get worse with age...does anyone do exercises to prevent it? I'm very thin, yet still borderline losing my flat stomach due to the excess frontal curvature.

Thanks guys
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post #2 of 11
12/17/09 at 2:02pm
To me it would seem most obvious to stretch the back muscles (over an exercise ball perhaps) and strengthen the abs. After my recent (very positive) experience with an osteopath for my neck though, I would highly recommend at least getting checked out by one, to see what he says and make sure something isn't going more wrong than you know or degenerating in there.
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post #3 of 11
12/17/09 at 2:21pm
Lower-cross syndrome....probably due to tightness in the low back muscles and hip flexors combined with weak abs and hamstrings (and maybe glutes). Stretch the low back and hip flexors while working on strengthening the abs and hamstrings to help bring the pelvis back in correct alignment and decrease the lumbar hyperlordosis.

Always be conscious of your head and shoudlers too...if the tend to be more forward or in front of the body than they should be that will cause strain in the lower back leading to a presentation similar to yours.
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post #4 of 11
12/17/09 at 4:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by j View Post
To me it would seem most obvious to stretch the back muscles (over an exercise ball perhaps) and strengthen the abs. After my recent (very positive) experience with an osteopath for my neck though, I would highly recommend at least getting checked out by one, to see what he says and make sure something isn't going more wrong than you know or degenerating in there.

+1. I've had a very positive experience with an osteopath for back issues similar to yours, mainly an exaggerated "S" curve that was causing low-back pain and some left-right asymmetry causing hip pain on my right side. I saw the osteopath for ~2 years. He gave me stretching exercises, which I did daily, started me weightlifting, and then transitioned me to a rolfer, who is working to make very deep muscles more flexible. After 4.5 years of hard work, I'm now virtually pain-free and my posture is better than I can ever remember. I get periodic compliments on my posture, including compliments from dance instructors. I highly recommend seeing a good osteopath. I also recommend doing it now, as posture is much easier to fix when you're young, instead of waiting until you're 45, as I did.
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post #5 of 11
12/18/09 at 1:49am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by thinman View Post
+1. I've had a very positive experience with an osteopath for back issues similar to yours, mainly an exaggerated "S" curve that was causing low-back pain and some left-right asymmetry causing hip pain on my right side. I saw the osteopath for ~2 years. He gave me stretching exercises, which I did daily, started me weightlifting, and then transitioned me to a rolfer, who is working to make very deep muscles more flexible. After 4.5 years of hard work, I'm now virtually pain-free and my posture is better than I can ever remember. I get periodic compliments on my posture, including compliments from dance instructors. I highly recommend seeing a good osteopath. I also recommend doing it now, as posture is much easier to fix when you're young, instead of waiting until you're 45, as I did.

Thanks! I don't suppose you can give me a rundown of some of the most helpful exercises? I don't know if I can afford to be seeing an osteopath frequently, being in college and all. Thanks, I'd appreciate any help since this is basically my biggest insecurity.
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post #6 of 11
12/18/09 at 4:47am
I suffer from sway back/lower cross also. Noticed it about a year ago. I sit practically all day at college. I'm afraid to exercise like I did 2 years ago with full range barbell exercises because of this. I'm not sure what to focus on and I don't want to make things worse. I can't imagine squatting with my back all screwed up and out of alignment. This t-nation article series was recommended however I think I'm going to make an appoint to see an chiropractor (never heard of an osteopath, explain?) Not sure if I should get a physical -> referral though. I guess it couldn't hurt. http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_a...no_more_part_i
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post #7 of 11
12/18/09 at 6:11am
From my understanding an osteopath is a regular MD doctor who also has studied most of (all of?) what a chiropractor and a massage therapist, among others, has studied. I went to chiropractors for a very long time and never had the amount of relief that a few times at an osteopath gave me. Totally anecdotal of course, but that's my experience.
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post #8 of 11
12/18/09 at 9:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by thinman View Post
+1. I've had a very positive experience with an osteopath for back issues similar to yours, mainly an exaggerated "S" curve that was causing low-back pain and some left-right asymmetry causing hip pain on my right side. I saw the osteopath for ~2 years. He gave me stretching exercises, which I did daily, started me weightlifting, and then transitioned me to a rolfer, who is working to make very deep muscles more flexible. After 4.5 years of hard work, I'm now virtually pain-free and my posture is better than I can ever remember. I get periodic compliments on my posture, including compliments from dance instructors. I highly recommend seeing a good osteopath. I also recommend doing it now, as posture is much easier to fix when you're young, instead of waiting until you're 45, as I did.

Good advice. Another thing. Another thing I was told by my doctor was to make a conscious decision to make sure to "tuck" the bottom of my pelvic girdle forward when I stood. He also said that I didn't need to stretch my hamstrings, because the quads were too tight, so he had me stand on one foot and reach back with my hand and hold my foot while I stretched my quads, trying to tuck my pelvis. It's all about strengthening the right muscles and lengthening the correct ones to achieve balance.
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post #9 of 11
12/18/09 at 12:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rusty G. View Post
It's all about strengthening the right muscles and lengthening the correct ones to achieve balance.

It goes way beyond that, but that line of bullshit keeps the patient guessing and blaming themselves instead of the doctor who doesn't know how to really fix the issue.

The 'tight quadriceps' is a nice clue to his cluelessness, since only one of those muscles actually attaches to the hip (rectus femoris) -- and even then its potential to tilt the hip is severely limited since most of its strength will be exerted on the insertion point and not the origin.
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post #10 of 11
4/19/10 at 5:48pm
Bump. This shit is annoying.
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post #11 of 11
4/19/10 at 7:32pm
Having a beer gut and love handles is often mistaken for lordosis. Also being a scrawny type with no muscle may lead to looking like you have "bad posture". For these two, diet/exercise corrects the problems. If you actually have it, nothing short of surgery will eliminate it tho.
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