Bodi Empowerment
Back Pain //
Improving Posture: Exercises to Correct Excessive Low Back Curve
Improve Your Posture: How to Correct an Excessive Lower Back Curve
Are you aiming to improve your posture? Correcting an exaggerated curve in your lower back is achievable with targeted exercises.
Experiencing lower back pain? This discomfort often stems from an abnormal arch in your spine, known as a larger-than-normal lordotic curve.
This guide unveils essential exercises designed to rectify an increased curve in your lower back posture. After mastering the foundational routines, you’ll find advanced exercises to further enhance your posture.
See Also: Advanced Posture Exercises For Your Rounde Upper Back
Understanding Posture: Addressing Hyperlordosis
The natural curves in your lower back and neck, known as lordosis, play a crucial role in your overall posture. Normal lordosis is common and healthy.
However, the internet is rife with misinformation regarding posture correction. As a practising chiropractor, my goal is to provide you with accurate and reliable information to navigate posture improvements effectively.
Excessive curvature, or hyperlordosis, refers to an overpronounced curve in the lower back. “Hyper” indicates an excess, much like the term “hyperactive.” Conversely, “hypo” denotes a deficiency, indicating less curvature than normal.
It’s possible to exhibit hyperlordotic posture without experiencing pain. Nevertheless, addressing this condition early is vital to reduce the risk of developing osteoarthritis in the joints and discs of your lower spine.
See Also: 4 Upper Back Exercises To Improve Posture
Correcting Hyperlordosis: Enhancing Appearance and Reducing Risk
Proactively adjusting a hyperlordotic posture not only mitigates health risks but can also refine your silhouette. Through specific exercises, we can realign your pelvis, diminishing the appearance of lordosis without altering your body’s natural shape.
Causes of Hyperlordosis Include:
Tight Muscles:
- Erector spinae muscles along the spine.
- The hip flexor muscle is known as the psoas.
Weak Muscles:
- The gluteus maximus shapes your buttocks.
- Abdominal muscles, particularly the rectus abdominis or “six-pack” muscles, remain concealed for many under a layer of fat.
Hyperlordosis results from an imbalance between overly tight muscles pulling in one direction and weak muscles failing to compensate, exacerbating the spinal curve.
Correcting Your Posture: Balancing Muscle Strength
To amend your posture, begin by stretching the tight muscles before strengthening the weaker ones. This balanced approach is key to correcting an excessive lower back curve and improving your overall posture.
A: Arch Your Lower Back Like The Cat Pose in Yoga – Stretch your low back erector spinae (low back muscles).
- Get on all fours with your hands under your shoulders, your knees under your hips.
- Arch your upper back and lower back like a cat does when it’s scared.
- Hold for 30 seconds – do 3 sets.
- If you have a disc problem, or it hurts to arch and flex your back, this exercise is not for you.
A: Child Pose: Second stretch for your low back erector spinae (low back muscles).
- Get on your hands and knees.
- Sit back onto your heels with your arms reaching out as far as they will go.
- Your head is looking down – neck down.
- Hold for 30 seconds – do 3 sets.
A: Lunge Pose: You need to stretch the hip flexor muscles (psoas muscles)
- Get down on your knees.
- Put one leg forward with the knee bent to 90 degrees.
- The other leg is back with the knee very slightly bent resting on the floor.
- You should feel the stretch in the front part of your hip.
- Hold for 30 seconds and do 3 sets.
Second, strengthen your gluteus maximus (your butt-shaping muscle) and abs (your rectus abdominis muscles or six-pack muscles)
I will give you two exercises to strengthen your gluteus maximus. The squat and the single-leg squat.
B: The Chair Squat To Strengthen Your Gluteus Maximus
- Stand with your back to the chair.
- Your feet should be shoulder width apart with your feet turned out slightly
- Make sure to not arch your lower back when lowering yourself down to the chair.
- Touch the chair and come right back up 10 – do 3 sets.
B: Single Leg Squat To Improve Your Posture. When you can do three sets of chair squats easily, try single-leg squats.
- Always stand near a wall so, you can support yourself if you lose your balance.
- Stand on one leg.
- Stick out your butt as much as you can while bringing your other leg back, dragging it on the floor to keep balance.
- Go as far as you can with the back leg.
- Don’t let your knee go forward past the big toe
- Do 3 sets of 10.
Strengthen Your Abs To Help Your Posture
B: Front Planks strengthen your abs without putting dangerous pressure on your discs like crunches and sit-ups do.
- Lie face down.
- Toes together and your arms shoulder width apart.
- Hold this position without raising your butt too high
- Your body should form a straight line. Look in the mirror.
- Hold for up to 1 minute at a time. – do the exercise 3 times.
B: Advanced Abs Strengthening To Help Your Posture
- Get a basketball or medicine ball.
- Get in the front plank position.
- Balance with your forearms on your medicine ball/basketball.
- Pull your arms in toward you while balancing on the ball.
Feel free to share your questions, thoughts and experiences in the comments below, and don’t forget to connect with us on Facebook for more updates and tips on improving your shoulder health. We’d love to hear your opinions on who you consider the best Toronto chiropractor.
Dr. Ken, has been recognized as the Best Toronto Chiropractor in 2024, 2023, and 2018, here in downtown Toronto. As a sports chiropractor, he excels in treating a wide range of conditions including concussions, temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ), sports-related injuries, and spinal issues. Beyond his clinical skills, Dr. Ken is an accomplished athlete, having represented Ontario in the Canadian Judo Championships and completed the Toronto Marathon on two occasions. He employs the innovative C3 Program to provide targeted and effective care to his patients, ensuring a holistic approach to their well-being and athletic performance.
does this also make you taller?
Author
Thanks for the question Dave. You are correct this will get you back to your original height when your posture was better.
Hope that helps your posture.
Thank you so much sir.
Author
You are welcome Dave.
I have a question. When i stand or rather while im standing , my upper body leans forward without me knowin it. But people are always telling me that its leaning forward. Is this the same case as the lower back arch? Or is it something else?
Author
Thanks for your question Miranda. Really they are two different things.
Hello Ken
Thank you so much for your guidance on correcting postural problems. I have hyperlordosis and am doing the above exercises. Kindly suggest some exercises for reducing hip fat. Is running good for me as i am suffering from hyperlordosis ?
Author
Thanks for your question Pulkit. You need to consult someone else regarding your hip fat that’s not my territory. All I can tell you is to increase your aerobic exercise as long as you check with your medical doctor first to see if it is safe. As for the hyperlordosis, you should do the exercises here. Yes the hip fat will increase the lordosis as the fat will increase the size of the butt which will make the hyperlordosis seem even more.
In the end you have to do a combination of the exercises and the hyperlordosis exercises to correct your exaggerated arch in your lower back.
Hope that helps your posture.
Dear doctor,
A month ago i was told that i had lt si joint tenderness as i was having lower back pain after playing football excessively a day. As a result i had glute imbalance and now my spine feel arched more on one side although i have been doing exercises to strengthen my glutes. What exercises should i do and for how long? Is this a serious problem?
Thanking You,
Akshat
Author
Thanks for your comment Akshat. If your tenderness is due to SI (sacroiliac) irritation than doing these two stretches helps.
http://www.docpods.com/Gluteal-Buttock-Stretch-Sitting
http://www.teachpe.com/stretching/piriformis.php
If the problem is due to a disc bulge referring to SI than these exercises should help. https://www.bodiempowerment.com/herniated-disc-part-2-the-best-exercises-for-your-herniated-disc/
If the problem is related to a facet irritation than the child pose in this article should help.
https://www.bodiempowerment.com/healthy-standing-posture-reduce-low-back-pain/
Hope that helps your SI joint tenderness.
Hi Doctor,
I am a 14 year old Male and the arch really makes me self conscious. I’m a little bit confused at the exercises you’ve published above. Could you give me some advice on how to solve this arch? Cause of my age I speculate the ways to solve it differ.
Thanks.
Author
Thanks for your question. Providing you have an exaggerated arch or hyperlordosis the exercises presented are sound. You can disagree with me and that is fine. Maybe you have scoliosis along with an exaggerated arch. In which case you would need to do these exercises and much more on a regular basis.
Maybe your parents or your doctor will have a different opinion. Based on my education and research I have found these exercises to be helpful for a simple hyperlordosis or increased arch in the lower back.
Hope that helps.
I have had problems with my back all my life. I recently went to the chiropractor and found out I have lumbar hyperlordosis. The chiropractor was concerned about the deepth of the curve and wants me to get a MRI. He is concerned with a spot that he is unable to see the disc to well, saying he is worried that my disc might be being squeezed or pinched. He also tried setting my back with no luck. I am in constant pain & nothing is relieving it. Should i try these exercise 1st or will it cause more damage and pain?
Author
Thanks for your question Alley. Posture is very important and may or may not be causing your lower back pain. I would try the exercises since the chiropractor has already tried and is not having success so far. If the cause of your lower back pain is posture than it will likely help. If the cause is something else you will likely have to try the disc exercises. https://www.bodiempowerment.com/herniated-disc-part-2-the-best-exercises-for-your-herniated-disc/
Hope that helps your hyperlordosis posture.
Hi,
I have a similar problem and will start doing these stretches. I also seem to have one side of my hip slightly higher then the other. I’ve heard sitting on your wallet can cause this imbalance so I have stopped that. Is there any exercises I can can do to fix this?
Author
Thanks for your question Chris. Glad you are doing the posture stretches for the exaggerated arch in your lower back. The imbalance will likely correct itself otherwise you should see a chiropractor a few times to fix the imbalance.
Hope that helps.
Hello Dr. Ken…So glad I came across your article…for years I have had an exaggerated arch in my back..used to think it was sexy…but after having my son 17 months ago i find it is so sore and goes out of whack a lot more…plus seems to make my belly stick out!!!! Have been running a lot lately but my back has been bothering me so much I can’t even.. pain goes from lower back to right above right side of rectum. do you think an inversion table will help release some pressure….because whenI sit down it feels like my lower spine pushes up….need to go to chiropractor..hopefully he can help…take X-rays…see whats going on! love your Blog…Will need to make above exercises a nightly routine!!! Thanks Dr……..Do inversion tables really help…will get one if they DO!!!
Hello Dr. Ken im 14 years old 5/4 138 lbs I do quite a bit of weightlifting and i noticed i have a pretty big arched back but there has been no pain, i noticed alot of the adults have arched backs wt my gym but mine is quite bigger. I sleep on my belly alot and i imagine thats why its arched? If i follow these exercises and sleep on my back more will it help? Thanks in advance.
Author
Thanks for your question Alex. Yes the exercises should help, but you should ask your parents before doing the exercises. Yes you are right sleeping on your front is a problem. It makes the problem worse and doing the exercises may not help if you continue sleeping on your front.
Hope that helps your posture.
Hi Dr. Ken, I have had slight back pain in the middle section of my back (slightly over the kidney area) for some time. Also whenever I lie down, I can never fully touch the floor with my back. Is it possible for me to have an overly arched back?
These exercises seem like they would help, but in the one legged squat: should I keep the foot in the air still or how should it work? Got kinda confused by reading the steps to it..
Author
Thanks for your question Rita. If the pain is over the middle section of the back and you don’t have any changes in urination, color, frequency (how often), urgency (emergency urge), volume of urine than you should try the exercises for a month than test your back again to see if your back is closer to the floor and more importantly if your back is improving.
Hope that helps your middle /lower back pain.
Dr. Ken I’m having a hyper lordotic posture and I’m very worried about my posture these days. I recently went to a physiotherapist , and he told me that my Gluteus Maximus are tight and we need to stretch them to make the spine normal , I wonder if he is consulting me right??
And your article is amazing , I’ll start doing the exercises as soon as I know the cause of my curvature.
Thankyou.
Author
Thanks for your questions Sudarshan. When you have hyperlordosis you need to strengthen your gluteus maximus. Stretching the gluteux maximus while, it won’t hurt won’t help. If you don’t believe me just try stretching the gluteus maximus only for a month. When that doesn’t work try all the exercises for a month.
Hope that helps.
Hi
I recently had an MRI that showed up degeneration of the two lumbar discs with bulging of annuli. I had a disc herniation ten years ago whilst in labour. The degeneration doesn’t seem to equate to the pain I’m in, could this be nerve pain? Over the last ten years I’ve been an active dog walker, mum and full time worker and I’ve done yoga and Pilates which resulted in injury. I eat well, no red meat , easy on the sugar etc etc. i am now following Martha Petersons Essential Somantics which I really do enjoy. My core strength is poor as I can’t ‘plank’ for more than 30 seconds. I’ve resisted all forms of prescription medication but am due to see my consultant in a few weeks for a follow up app to the MRI and I am sorely tempted to have cortosteriod injections to my lower back. What’s your take?
Author
Thanks for your question Gill. You sound like you try to take care of yourself. You are right in that what you get on X-ray doesn’t often correlate to pain. It is likely that you have a disc bulge again. Try the exercises everyday for a month and see. If they give you sharp pain or increasing pain while doing them or pain for more than 1/2 hour than the exercises are not for you.
https://www.bodiempowerment.com/herniated-disc-part-2-the-best-exercises-for-your-herniated-disc/
Hope that helps your disc bulge and degeneration. (they go together most of the time)
Hi thanks for the article!!
I’m 22, is it too late for me to start these exercise???
Author
Thanks for your question Rose. It’s not too late. While it’s better to start earlier rather than later, you should be able to make some progress. The more of a lordosis that you have the longer it will take, and generally speaking the older that you are the longer that it will take, as the joints are stiffer.
It’s definitely not too late to help your posture Rose.
Hope that helps the arch in your lower back.
thanks for the article! For the very last exercise, is it 3 sets of 1 minute?
I had been searching for why my lower abs always stuck out as if they were bloated. I then noticed my bum was very prominent due to the curve in my lower back. I have very low body fat % so could it be this curve in my posture that causes my belly to look bloated/pregnant?
Many Thanks
Author
You are right Mitch. Your posture can cause you to look bloated and make you look like you have a larger butt than you actually have. For the last exercise yes you do 3 sets of 1 minute. You can start at 20 seconds and work your way up to one minute if you need to. If you are already there than you should move both elbows forward 2 inches.
Hope that helps your exaggerated arch in your lower back.
Do you have any comments on ileo-lumbar syndrome – which effects the ligament in the low back?
Thank you
Author
Ilio lumbar syndrome will not go away with the exercises in this article. It is often mistaken for sacroiliac syndrome and hip problems. Generally Iliolumbar syndrome is easier to fix, so if your symptoms are persistent you may consider other diagnosis. A massage therapist or chiropractor can simply work on the ligament which should get you better in short order unless you had trauma such as a car accident, in which case the symptoms will likely persist for a long time.
Hope that helps your posture and your iliolumbar ligament.
Thanks for posting this article. I just wanted to ask if there is any chance these exercises could aggravate the lordosis making it worse. Also how often should I do these exercises per day? My last question is if this will get rid of my back pain.
Many thanks
Author
Thanks for your questions Nabeel. No the exercises cannot make you worse. Your habits during the day certainly can make your posture worse. You should do the exercises at least once a day. Twice a day is even better. Keep in mind it will take many months for some people to notice a changes.
When your posture does change it can help your lower back pain. Likely your posture is the cause of your back pain.
Hope that helps your posture.
Thanks for the reply. One more question I forgot to add is if these stretches/exercises will help rolled shoulders? If they don’t could you please tell me some exercises/stretches that will.
Thanks again
Author
Thanks for your Nabeel. Why don’t try these exercise for your shoulder. https://www.bodiempowerment.com/how-to-improve-posture-upper-back/
Hope that helps
I have been diagnosed with ileo lumbar syndrome – which ever came first, also have a pronounced lordosis – have been performing the above exercises – do you have any further recommendations?
Thank you
Author
Thanks for your comment Martha. You need to be patient. It will take a minimum of a month to start seeing a difference. If you want to see a substantial difference it will take from 6 months to a year assuming this is not a permanent curve.
Hope that helps your posture.
Hello Sir.
Your post seems very useful and effective. But i have a slight doubt. Kindly describe when to do these exercises. All simultaneously, everyday, or first focus on the tight muscle exercises only and then the weak muscles one.
Author
Thanks for stopping by Niko. You do them everyday for and you will see a small difference in about 1 month. It took you many years to develop your posture and it will take you at least 6 months to a year to develop a non-hyperlordotic lower back.
Just simply do all the exercises.
Thank you so much for this !!!
I have been wondering about the arch in my back for some time since it appears to make my stomach protrude though I have very little fat.
I do yoga regularly and a lot of poses like wheel pose involve aching back backwards. I do not have pain or discomfort and backward bends come easiar than forward bends for me. I love my morning yoga routine.
Do you think I should completely stop doing the wheel, cobra etc which enhance the back arch and only do the others? I believe I have lordosis and not hyperlordosis , maybe.
Would be very thankful to hear from you.
Author
Thanks for your comment Ishanya. If you feel the arch in your back is too much from a posture perspective than yes, you should stop doing the wheel cobra and sphinx and other exercises that increase the arch and do the exercises in this article. Doing the backward extension exercises only causes an increase in the arch of your back.
From a health perspective the Wheel Yoga pose is too much extension and beyond what you should do normally at the front of your discs and damage your discs.
Hope that helps your posture.
Great Article. I also seem to be suffering from lordosis and suffer from lower back pains after standing for a long period. I normally have to crack my back each time it feels stiff to ease the pain. I do not know if I am suffering from tight muscles or weak muscles. What would you recommend for me? Thanks in advance
Author
Thanks for your comment Has. First I don’t recommend you crack your back as that will only give you temporary relief. You will make the loose joints looser and the tight joints tighter.
I recommend that you do the exercises in this post to decrease the arch or hyperlordosis that you have in your lower back. By decreasing the arch you will take the pressure off your lower back, and you will start to decrease the pain. There are also some people that naturally bring their upper back backwards mimicking a hyperlordodis like the picture of the lady holding the lap top. If that is the case with you simply bringing your upper back forward will help.
The exercises will help strengthen and stabilize your muscles.
Hope that helps your posture.
Hi, and thankyou for the great advise. I have been looking into this since I have a slight hyperlordosis issue and have been lifting heavy weights for the past 8 months. I am 27 years old and am looking very fit for such a short amount of time gyming in my basement. I use the computer often and sit for long periods at work and home. For as far as I can remember I have had a “donald duck butt.” Anyway, to avoid making my problems worse I substituted my military presses with more isolation type workouts like flys to avoid strain on my lower back, and instead of squats I now do weighted step ups. To correct my posture I have been following this routine along with the yoga poses you suggested https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt4DGCsEcbo&feature=youtube_gdata_player
I was looking into yoga ball chairs but there seems to be a lot of conflicting opinions. Does this sound like a good game plan, and what is your opinion on ball chairs? Do you have any additional advise for me?
Author
Thanks for your comment Apgoodson222 about posture. I had a look through the video link that you posted. I have concerns about the exercises that chiropractor suggests. For example the double leg raise recommended was found by Dr. Stuart McGill to put excessive pressure on the disc in the lower back. Done everyday this will surely damage your discs and lead to a disc bulge if not a herniation later on.
The exercises I present in this article are safe for most people’s back.
Regarding the Yoga ball chair. The idea behind the Yoga ball chair is to make you balance on the ball all the time. With the ball contained in a steel rim you don’t really use the core muscles as much. If you have lower back pain I don’t recommend it. If you don’t have lower back pain simply getting a swiss ball or Yoga ball and sitting on it is much more useful than a Yoga chair.
Hope that helps your hyperlordosis.