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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.
Hi!
My Chiro, Just Told Me I Had Too Much Of An Arch. That I Needed To Have My Pelvis Tilted.I Have Always Had A Big Booty, Is This Going To Make It Flat? My HUsband Is FreaKing OUt.
Author
Thanks for your question Juline. Lots of people have a larger booty and it may appear that you have too much of an arch in your lower back. You can’t just go by the curve from the lower back to the booty but just the actual curve.
Hope that helps.
I honestly don’t know what is exactly causing my limping problems, but I’m positive it has to do with my hip. Sorry if this isn’t enough information. Thanks for replying!
Author
Thanks for your question Mandy. Try stretching out the glut medius and piriformis muscles to see if that helps. https://www.bodiempowerment.com/exercises-to-help-piriformis-syndrome-how-to-tell-the-difference-from-disc-herniation/
Hope that helps your posture and hip.
Hi! Sorry if this has already been asked. Im 18 years old and not only do I have an over-arched back but I also have a limp when I walk or run. Are there any exercises for improving limps? Also is it safe for me to run at this time or should I wait until my posture has improved? Thank you for posting this article by the way!
Author
Thanks for your question Mandy. The limp can be from so many causes. eg. trapped nerve in the back, muscle problems in the leg, hip, knee ankle problems, knee injuries, hip arthritis, lower back disc herniation etc…etc…
So if you let me know what is causing your limp or at least what you think it is and where it’s painful, I might be able to help. As for the over-arched back, why don’t you try the exercises here.
Hope that helps your posture.
I understand Dr. Ken, thanks anyway.
I started doing these exercises cant tell if they are helping yet, i keep going to a chairopractor but 2h after im done the muscles are back stiff again from the neck down to the pelvis, and i cant take a full breath at all, is there any exercise i can do for my kyphosis, or all that is left is surgery?
Hello Dr. Ken , I asked you a question in the start of September about my lordotic posture and to which you answered me and asked me to do the stretches for a month. I’ve been doing these stretches for about 2 and half months but haven’t seen any result except from the stretch marks that I’ve found on my hips i.e the gluteus maximus region I suppose.
Will sprinting or cycling help me correct lordosis?
Author
Thanks for your question Sudarshan. First let me point of that stretch marks are not from stretching. There is another cause for stretch marks, it happens when you either work out and gain lots of muscle quickly, you are having a baby or are eating more.
Sometimes in more complicated cases exercises are not enough. The exercises need to be done consistently everyday and in the repetitions and sets that are required. I am not sure which category you are in. However you should go see a health professional as I am simply giving information for educational purposes.
Hope that helps your posture.
Dear Dr. Ken
I’m having alot of pain in my back, i have lumbar lordosis and kyphosis, trouble breathing, and cant stand for more than 5 mins, i have some quesions to ask, may i have your email?
Thanks in advance
Author
Thanks for your question Roudy. I don’t give out my email. I answer literally hundreds of questions in the comments section which takes a tremendous amount of time, on top of my regular work at Rebalance Sports Medicine as a chiropractor. I value having my email without questions from the clinic as I already give back in many ways. Hopefully you understand.
Why not try the exercises in the article?
Author
Thanks for your question Roudy. Why don’t you try using the foam roll. I explain how to help your kyphosis with a foam roll in this article.
https://www.bodiempowerment.com/advanced-posture-exercises/
Hope that helps your kyphosis posture.
Has anyone ever told you that they gained height by fixing this?
Will fixing this affect my height?even by a cm?
Author
Thanks for your comment. You have the right idea. When your posture is more ideal you will be slightly taller. It may be less or more but probably in that range.
Hope that helps your posture and height.
Dear Dr. Ken
Wonderful guide here! I was just wondering, by doing these simple stretches routinely, will these exercises themselves be enough to fix lordosis? Or is there more exercises we should be doing?
Author
Thanks for your question Andrew. For most people it’s enough just to do the exercises. In severe or complex cases I recommend that you get it professionally taken care. Examples are severe arch in your upper back combined with exaggerated lower back arch, scoliosis with any of those combinations.
Hope the exercises helps your posture.
Hi Dr Nakamura! wow this is very helpful. I am 4’11 and 35yrs old in my opinion have a pretty exaggerated lordosis on my lower back. Sometimes I have low back pain if I walk a lot and sometimes when I sit i feel I am hunched over a bit when I stand up. I’ve had X-rays and nothing is “wrong” I think they mentioned the vertebrae are angled at the center of the curvature but nothing wrong with the disks. I always assumed this curvature is my normal and not something that needs or can be corrected. My pelvis is more angled than other people I see and my belly and butt stick out more than others. is my shape really because of muscle imbalances? I’m fairly healthy and active and not sure how I could be “imbalanced” doing the same exercises as others who aren’t. I guess is this genetic and we are trying to change it? How much improvement is really possible? I never knew I could fix this but I will try the exercises! please let me know what you think of my questions and thank you so much.
Author
Thanks for your comment Lena. Posture is partially genetic and partially habit. You can can’t change your genes but you can change your habits and do the exercises. The muscle imbalances that you likely have are likely a bit from habit and genetics. Try the exercises.
Good luck with changing your posture.
Hello Dr. Nakamura. Very helpful article. I’m going to do the exercises above. Now I have a question, which exercises do I have to avoid in the gym? Do I have to avoid squats, ab crunches, and others? What will these exercises do if I don’t avoid them? Thank you very much! Your article and your comments have been very informative.
Author
Thanks for your question Christian. Great that you are going to start the exercises. You just have to avoid extension exercises. Basically any exercises that will make your spine go backwards arching your spine more. Also when you sit try not to arch your lower back too much. In your case a little slouching once in a while is OK.
Hope that helps your posture.
Sir , in my previous post i didnt mention that when i sit for a while and then try to stand , i am not able to stand straight and bend forward . After walking a few steps only , i can stand erect . My friends ask me to stand erect but i get a seething pain when i try to do so immediately after sitting posture .
Hope you help me sir
Author
Just answered you question in the other comment.
Respected Sir,
I have been experiencing lower back pain since 3 years . After my X-ray i was diagnosed with lumbar lordosis with osteocytes fomation in my lower back . I had the habit of playing soccer and other games . I am still confused about the reasons that led me to this condition . Doctor asked me to do certain exercises , but since i was in college that time i didnt take his advice seriously and kept myself busy in random things . But now, after 3 years, i feel that my lordosis has aggravated a lot and i start feeling the pain when i even walk for 5 mins. Just standing for 10 mins gives me constant pain , and to relieve myself i just go sit somwhere. I would like to know will these exercises really help me , even though i have aggravated my back . Is surgery a good option . Should i start jogging . please help me in this regard sir .
waiting for your reply
Author
Thanks for your question Mukul. From your history it sounds like you have a disc bulge. You can’t see that on X-ray but it’s more a diagnosis based on the little bit of history you gave me. There are different kinds of disc herniations however but most disc herniations respond to these exercises. https://www.bodiempowerment.com/herniated-disc-part-2-the-best-exercises-for-your-herniated-disc/
Hope that helps your lower back pain.
Hello dr nakamura
My lower back is arched in and I always feel pain if I arch more back on the lower back.
The pain is not realy bad but I can stil feel something there.
I use to do allot of squatting with good posture but now I have stopped because i suddenly got a sharp pain in my lower back which put me off squatting, I also curve my back when I bench press and sometimes I can feel a slight pain on the lower back. If I try stretching downwards to touch my toes I get a tight feeling on the lower back so I try sitting on the floor and bring my knees to my chest. I would just like to know if there is any exercises that I need to do to help me overcome the pain in my lower back.
Thanks for reading
Author
Thanks for your question Bal. You shouldn’t try the squats in this article just yet but should do all the other exercises to get yourself feeling better. When you can do the other exercises easily try doing the squats without weights at first. Then add a 10 lb weight in each hand later on.
Hope that helps your posture.
Dr.
I am little poor in English so can u Tell me that, is this exercise for destroying the curve in the body or increasing the curve in the body.
Author
Thanks for the question Karol. These exercises are for decreasing *(destroying) the curve in the lower back.
Hope that helps your posture.
Thank you Dr, we have been doing these suggested exercises in pilates too, but only done a few wks so far, will keep doing those i guess, again thank u
Author
You are welcome Mml. Please note both exercises are bad for most people’s back. (the exercises that you want to do like a sit-up while someone is holding your leg. Also leg raises with your feet going over your head). They are know to cause disc herniations which are one of the most common causes of lower back pain. I suggest that you just do the exercises I recommended to you and not the exercises like the sit-ups above.
Hope that prevents a possible disc herniation.
Hi Dr Nakamura,
Im not sure if you can help but ever since i am young i cant do one exercise which is sit ups without something or someone having to keep my feet down. If i lie down on my back i cant get up. Today at pilates i tried to do another exercise which was also impossible, lying on my back and trying to lift both legs up, over my head and touching the the other end where my head is. My instructor told me i have a very stiff lower back. She said even if i do enough exercises to build strong abs i might not be able to do it due to my stiff and inflexible back. Would you have any advise for me?
Author
Thanks for your question Mml. Sounds like the abs are too weak at the moment. Try strengthening with planks and curl-ups example here: https://www.bodiempowerment.com/herniated-disc-part-2-the-best-exercises-for-your-herniated-disc/
A front plank is shown near the end of this article. https://www.bodiempowerment.com/spinal-stenosis-comprehensive-guide-5-exercises-spinal-stenosis-lateral-stenosis/
If you are having trouble doing a sit-up without someone holding your legs than you will certainly have trouble with leg raises as they are simply harder to do.
You need to start at step 1 then go to step 2. If you try to do step 3 before you can do step 2 you will certainly not be able to do it.
With the leg raises you may not be able to bring your legs right back over your head now, but when you are stronger you may need to stretch your lower back to get further. You can do the “child pose” which is in the 2nd link above to stretch your lower back.
So essentially you need stronger abs and stretching of your lower back as well.
Hope that helps.
Hi Dr. Nakamura-
Thank you for this topic, and exercises. I have an extremely tight, inflexible lumbar spine, and a slight “s” curve scoliosis. I have been doing the exercises described above for 3 weeks now, but my abs are so weak (due to chronic hip and back pain, as well as C sections) that I cannot do even a modified plank without hurting my lower back. Any safe exercises you can recommend to help get me strong enough to plank?
Also, any alternatives to the hip flexor stretch above? That seems to aggravate my back as well.
Thanks again for this great info on hyperlordosis!
~Maya
Author
Thanks for your question Maya. You can get on your knees and elbows and try to plank from there. Basically same as the picture but on your knees. I wouldn’t do the hip flexor stretch.
Hope that helps your posture.
Thanks for your answer! As I said, though, I cannot even do a modified plank (on knees and elbows) due to abdominal weakness and lower back pain. Any other ab exercises you would recommend?
Thanks again!
~Maya
Author
Thanks for your question. Why don’t you try the curl-up. Just go as high as you can. https://www.bodiempowerment.com/herniated-disc-part-2-the-best-exercises-for-your-herniated-disc/
Hope that helps your abs strength and posture.
Thank you, Dr.! I appreciate it.
~Maya
Author
You are welcome.
How can i tell if i have hyperlordosis? I have quite a significant curve in my back but i don’t know if it’s normal or exaggerated. I’m getting really bad back pain when I sleep (mid to lower back). I have bought a brand new mattress (pocket sprung and medium firm) so it’s not that. Any idea as to why my back is hurting so much when I sleep? Its almost as if my ribs and my muscles in my back just seize up. Could this be to do with hyperlordosis? I don’t think I sleep on my front…
Thanks!
Author
Thanks for your question Emma.
Your should do a Wall Posture Check
Stand facing away from the wall and put both feet against the wall.
Find where your body touches the wall.
Correct Posture Should Be:
Touching the wall at the: Hips, Shoulder blades, back of your head.
Your flattened hand should just fit between your lower back and the wall.
Full Explanation here.
https://www.bodiempowerment.com/neck-stiffnes/
When you improve your posture your will likely improve your lower back pain.
Hope that helps your posture.
Dr. Nakamura,
I appreciate your post. I’ve been suffering from bad posture since I was a child. I was very overweight about 7 years ago, which put a lot of burdens on my back. I was able to lose +110 pounds and maintain healthy weight for 6 years, but I’ve never corrected my posture. FYI, I weigh 180 pounds now and my height is 6’1″.
My lower back is never straight unless I force myself to do it. I can feel a spine sticking out outward when I am slouching. My spines are bent a bit unless I straighten my upper body and my neck always leans forward for some reason. I do cardio and weightlifting/ab exercises regularly, but my posture is never fixed. I know that my hip muscle is really weak, which would explain lower back issue. What exercises should I start doing to correct my posture permanently? I would sincerely appreciate your response. Thank you.
Author
Thanks for your question David. While it will likely take longer than most if you’ve had the problem for a longer period of time, it is still possible with exercises to improve your posture. You might not get it to the ideal posture but most people can improve their posture with the right exercises. These exercises in this article are designed to help improve your posture when you have too much of an arch in your lower back.
Try these for a couple months first and see how much you improve.
Hope that helps your posture.