Part 2: Muscle tightness and imbalance

Another cause of pelvic imbalance are the muscles in and around this region. These muscles have attachment points to the bones of the pelvis, lumbar spine and hip. There are many muscles in this region but to keep it simple and relevant, I will just outline the major ones. Have a look at the picture below that illustrates some of the important muscles of this region:


When these muscles contract, they act as giant levers that enable us to move. For example, when the hip flexors contract they pull our knee to our chest, e.g. walking up stairs. If a muscle is contracted chronically, this can lead to tightness and imbalance in the pelvis and/ or low back.

A great example of this is the hamstrings which attach to the pelvis at the bony part of the bottom and end up at the back of the knee. When you sit for long periods the hamstrings become chronically tight. This tightness can act on the pelvis to pull it out of “alignment” resulting in any number of symptoms such as pain in the low back, glut region or back of the thigh.

So what can I do about it?

First of all, see your Osteopath. They will be able to examine you to determine the source of your pain and treat you accordingly.

Here are some stretches we’ve talked about in previous posts that may help.

Want more information? This website has some more detailed information about the muscles of this region.