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.
So u mean doctor that I must never take by leg which is resting in the flooor to the max or tmust not ake it away as much as possible so it won’t sway …but what is the advantage of just staying straight with the leg on floor and one on 90 degree
Author
Thanks for your question John. This is what I said before to you. “Do the lunge without arching your back.” Not sure what you mean but the idea behind the stretch is to stretch the two hip flexors, the psoas and the iliacus muscles.
Hope that helps correct your posture.
thanks again for the help doctor but still I am not able to understand how to do the LUNGE pose correctly. As a lifetime favour will you upload a video or something which can help me to understand and do the exercise correctly. If possible please upload a video with explanation for the exercises
Author
Thanks for your question John. Do the lunge without arching your back. That’s the key. As for a video I don’t have the equipment at this time to do a video.
Hope that helps correct the exaggerated arch in your lower back.
Hi, I am 16 years old and I have hyperlordosis. In the past few weeks I have began to experience bad lower back pain and so have been prescribed some medicine to relieve the pain. However, my spinal curve is pretty bad and my shoulders are very rounded- with one being slightly higher up than the other. I also cannot “walk properly” as it makes my posture look really stiff and this bothers me greatly because it has been a problem for about 5 years now. Would you recommend that I do these exercises and do you have any advice on what else I should do to correct this? Also, I carry a heavy rucksack to college each day (so many damn books!), do you think this would have an affect on my posture as I read that rucksacks are bad for your back? (Although this may just be misinformation from the internet) Thank you in advance.
Author
Thanks for your question Hannah. First I don’t think rucksacks are bad unless they are overloaded. Yes in college you do tend to get overloaded. Are you 16 in college?
The curve of your spine isn’t necessarily what is causing your back problem. Two of the exercises helps stabilize the spine and two of the exercises stretch muscles that help the spine, so even though your problem may not be related to your hyperlordosis they may help your lower back.
Hope that helps your pain and the your exaggerated arch in your lower back.
Thank you for your response. No, I just realised that college is different in America to England!- college/sixth form is the level of education for 16-18 year olds here. Which probably explains how I posted my original response on the 7th rather than the 6th of June! I have started to begin these exercises twice a day: when I get back from school and in the evening. Is this often enough? I am not expecting quick results; but I would like to know if you have any tips on how I can improve my walk- as it is seriously draining my self confidence. Thank you once again.
Author
Thanks for your question Hannah. I think the difference is the comparable in Canada to America. I think you are doing the exercises enough. Most people are trying the exercises once a day, which obviously takes more time than doing it twice a day. It would probably take months.
You can improve your walking by trying to tighten your abs. Try it while you standing and you will see a change in your posture right away. This should encourage you do keep going with the exercises.
Hope that helps correct your posture.
Okay, well that’s good! And wow, it does change how I look, thanks again for your help. It was greatly appreciated.
Author
You are welcome Hannah.
Hi Ken
Great article thanks
Two questions,
1. my daughter 8 has significant hyperlordosis and also has trouble with constipation. Can the two be related? She was born OP (head down but facing the wrong way) and I wonder if you know if that can have an effect on posture?
2. I have one disk that’s very sore in my lower back and also hyperlordosis. I can arch my back up, but arching it down down causes it a lot of pain. I can’t lie face down any more. After 2 mins the pain is really bad and the one spot in my back becomes very sore. If I lie on the bed on my back with my knees bent and feet on the floor, my back also becomes very sore. Doing plank even for 15 seconds seems to cause it a lot of pain (but a couple of hours later, like there is inflammation). I’ve had x-rays and an MRI that show slight decrease in disk width (but nothing much). I’m very fit. I cycle around 30 – 50km per day mostly off road in the mountains. I swim, do ski touring in the winter and rock climbing. Up until recently I also ran in the mountains. I’m doing every low intensity exercise I can think of, being really gentle, to try and sort my back out, but it’s not working. I’ve been to the physio. They gave me more exercises, it’s still week and gets very sore easily. I can’t sleep well at night because it becomes too sore. I’m interested in your opinion of my options? I’m feeling a bit defeated by it.
Thanks very much
Mark
Author
Thanks for your question Mark. The position of your body has major and minor effects on your body and the functioning of your body. For example if you have scoliosis which is the curvature of the spine the function of the heart and lungs gets affected by the curvature so much so that when you get to 40 degrees of scoliosis then surgery is recommended as you will have trouble breathing. Similarly if you have a hunch back your breathing is affected.
1. In your daughter’s case there is nothing in the literature that says hyperlordosis causes constipation. However that doesn’t mean that it can’t happen. If the problem is mild there probably will be no effect while in the more severe cases it is more likely. This is just opinion. As for her birth I think that loose ligaments and lack of stability is more likely the culprit for the hyperlordosis.
2. If you have a posterior disc herniation you should try these exercises. https://www.bodiempowerment.com/herniated-disc-part-2-the-best-exercises-for-your-herniated-disc/
If the exercises give you more pain or cause any symptoms further down the leg such as numbness, tingling or pain than you should stop the exercises.
Hope that helps your possible disc hernaition and daughter’s hyperlordosis.
Hi Dr Ken, thanks to your article I now realise my big bum syndrome has a name! 🙂
I’ve just started do your exercises and will keep them up as I’m keen to sort out my posture. A couple of questions:
Is it normal to have a bit more back pain since starting these exercise? Nothing too painful just a dull ache in the lower back and rear of my neck.
I sit at a desk most of the day so wonder if you could suggest any seating positions to help the hyperlordosis? (Stomach in, hips forward is what I’m trying to do).
Finally is a gym ball good as a chair replacement to help?
Many thanks,
Author
Thanks for your questions Phil. If the soreness gets worse you should stop the exercises but if they stay the same and eventually goes away you should be fine. It often takes time to get used to the exercises. You are using muscles that you don’t normally use.
Using a gym ball or Swiss ball is usually helpful for most people. As for sitting.
Hope that helps your correct your posture.
Thanks for the prompt reply …I see gradual improvement and I must inhale up and keep my body up as in that pic for cat position right must not take my body down right ????
I would also like to know whether bridge crunch and lower back muscle stretches would help Me and also suggest me will this video would help me
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iaKpsG0j94Q
Author
Thanks for your question John. Yes you inhale and you keep that position.
I wouldn’t do the bridge crunch as too many people do that exercise incorrectly and if done incorrectly you can increase your lordosis. If done correctly it helps strengthen the glut a bit and stablize the lower back but I don’t think it’s a very efficient exercise.
Hope that helps your hyperlordosis.
How will cow posture help my lumbar lordosis as I have a sticking out butt and will that make it better or worse????
How would the LUNGE pose will help ….Will that make by back bad or correct as the hip pushes front ???
Author
Thanks for your question John. Lunge pose stretches your psoas or hip flexor which contributes to your hyperlordosis or your ¨sticking out butt¨ as they attach to the lumbar spine (low back part of the spine). The psoas muscle gets tight and results in a more curved spine. This muscle is made tighter by sitting for prolonged periods.
As for the cat cow. I recommend the cat but I wrote the cow pose instead. You can see the posture is actually reducing the curve. It was simply a typing error. The exercise is correct the word is incorrect. That has been fixed now.
Thanks for pointing out the error.
Hope that helps your posture.
Hi Dr. Ken, I have consistently had a sore lower back and no one can seem to fix it. If i walk around the shops for a long period of time, or stand still for extended periods, my lower back will tense and tighten up and can only be relieved by sitting down. It feels like my hips are arched back and i have a crushing feeling in the muscles in my lower back. Any suggestions?
Author
Thanks for your question Jamie. I would try the exercises in this article to see if they help. If the exercises give you more pain or start to cause pain into the buttock or the leg than you should stop.
Hope that helps the crushing feeling in your lower back and helps your posture at the same time.
Hey Dr.Ken..! I ve had lumbar hyperlordosis since my teens but it has never bothered me much apart from the cosmetic aspect.. but recently for the last couple of weeks I ve been lifting weights to build my arms and I ve noticed that the back curvature seems to be increasing even more..! Does lifting weights exaggerated lumbar lordosis further? Do I need to correct the lordosis first before doing weights or can I do both simultaneously..? Thanks a lot again for this wonderful interactive site..
Author
Thanks for your question Pronny. You likely are causing an imbalance of your muscles causing you to increase the curvature. You need to do the exercises in this article in addition to your weights exercises. You can do them simultaneously.
Hope that helps your posture.
Thank you for the helpful tips!! I look forward to doing these. You may have already been asked this question, I apologize if so, but are there any tips you can give on things to avoid doing. I am hoping these stretches/exercises you have given help my cause, but I don’t want to be doing anything to make the hyperlordosis worse or not make my efforts as effective. Thank you!!!
To add to that… I have had the hyperlordosis for quite some time. I do feel however that a part of my most recent back pain (in which I feel in the L5-S1 region radiating into my S-I jts) may be cause my lifting/holding my young children. I get a similar pain each time during pregnancy. Thank you for your suggestions and for all that you do to help others with their pain/inabilities!
Author
Thanks for your comment Kelly. One suggestion is not to bring your pelvis or hip forward to sit up straight ie. don’t stick out your butt. Also a lot of people don’t have hyperlordosis they are actually just leaning backwards more with their upper body, like in the picture above.
Sounds like you’ve had a few pregnancies. Having little time for exercise due to kids and pregnancies doesn’t help.
Hope that answers your questions regarding posture and hyperlordosis.
Hi, with what frequency should i do this exercises? thank you
Author
Thanks for your question Artiomk. Everyday is the answer. Twice a day is even better.
Hope that helps your posture.
Hey Dr Ken Nakamura! I need some help I have this problem in my back awsell but mine also seems to lean to the side a bit. I’m not sure if you’re familiar with what marching band is, but I march 40-50 pound drums on my back and whenever i’m marching I have rlly bad pain in my lower back. I want to know If what i’m doing could be fatal to me and if I should stop. Thanks
Author
Thanks for your question Jake. If you are having pains while carrying heavy drums it is likely mechanical in nature. This means that it will not likely be fatal.
On the other hand you can make your lower back worse. Try these exercises if you think you have too much of a curve in your back. It will help strengthen and stretch your core so that you can take the weight.
Hope that helps your posture and helps your band.
Hi Dr Ken,
I’m 27 and have had hyperlordosis for as long as I can remember. Only recently recognized the problem though. I’ve been doing similar exercises for months now before finding your article and have noticed a very slight improvement in my lower back posture and am now experiencing no pain in my lower back. I’ve also been doing strength training for a long time and have changed my work outs to focus on strengthening my glutes, hamstrings and upper back area. I have a few questions:
1. My protruding gut isn’t really improving. I have low body fat so that’s not the issue. I suspect it might be the lordosis coupled with sleeping on my belly for years. If that is the case, is this even treatable anymore? Will sleeping on my back or on my side change this? How do would you recommend I stay on my back at night (I move around a lot). Or what would you say is ideal sleeping posture?
2. What is your opinion on foam rolling to treat lordosis? If you think its favorable could you point towards some resources demonstrating the correct techniques?
3. I find it hard to feel either the camel stretch or the childs pose in my lower back? Could you give some pointers to help me target the correct areas with these stretches?
Thanks a lot for your time! Your website is an excellent resource!!!
To everybody working on their posture I’ll say this: CONSISTENCY IS KEY.
Author
Thanks for your question Daniel. Sleeping on your side in the fetal is better than either sleeping on your back or front.
2. Foam rolling your gluts could help but I don’t recommend it.
3. You have probably reached to end point where child pose and camel stretch will no longer help. Try to touches holding for 30 seconds at a time. If it gives you back pain or sciatica you should stop but it likely won’t give you those.
Hope that helps your posture.
Hello Dr Ken,
I am about to turn 27 years old. Three years ago I was diagnosed with a herniated disc between C5 and C6. I had to undergo a total disc replacement and I have now a cervical prothesic disc between C5 and C6. I have been doing pretty well with my neck since the surgery but a few months ago I started having painful lower back. Nothing like the pain I had with my neck. I have always had a very curved lower back which makes my stomach sticks out even though I don’t have much belly fat. I am pretty sure that my lower back pain is due to this hyperlordosis. I have also noticed that walking or standing up for a very long period makes my lower back hurt. Do you think that this problem could be due to my hyperlordosis?
Also I really want to fix my posture and start going to the gym in order to strengthen my body. Could you give my any advice? I am planning on doing your stretching exercices everyday. Thank you in advance fir your answer.
Ben.
Author
Thanks for your question Benjamin. If the pain in your lower back is due to the hyperlordosis and not pressure from the neck like spinal stenosis which is possible than you can do these exercises. Do toe touches repeatedly 10X-20X. Do them every couple hours. If the pain becomes worse than it is not due to your hyperlordosis. If it becomes better it is likely due to your hyperlordosis.
Stop the exercises if the pain becomes worse or starts giving you new pains that go down your buttock or leg or give you tingling numbness or pain down your leg. The further down the leg the worse the it is.
You should do these supervised by a health professional. For educational purposes only.
Hope that help your posture and your pain.
Hello Dr,
I just discovered your website and I’d like to ask you a question. My problem is the opposite of an hyperlordosis. I have to pay attention not to bend out my lower back. Are there any exercises you would recommend to help me straighten my position (or invert it!). Thank you.
Chris
Author
Thanks for your question Chris. Most of the exercises in the link do just that. https://www.bodiempowerment.com/herniated-disc-part-2-the-best-exercises-for-your-herniated-disc/
Hope that helps your lack of lordosis in your lumbar spine.
Hi Dr.Ken,
I am suffering from Herniated Disc and Lower back Lumbar lordosis which has now developed into sciatica. I feel pain from my lower back till right leg calves. I am facing this problem from last 1 year and more, I have taken medications and took accupuncture therapy but, not getting better. My lower back issue was because of heavy weight lifting in GYM. From last 1 year i left my gym and feeling very low in terms of confidence level and think may my future growth has stopped due to this. What am i suppose to do?
Hello doctor ken, I hve a minor disc protrusion In my 2 lower disc is cobra is good for me n what other exercises I can do plss help me thnx
Regards
Sorabh
Author
Thanks for your question. Remember that your MRI showing that you have a minor disc protrusion doesn’t mean you have pain from the protrusion. If the disc is causing pain and it is a posterior protrusion it may be helpful. If it is a facet irritation it will make you worse.
Hope that helps.
Thank you son much Dr. Ken. I’m only 15 years old almost 16 and I have horrible lower back pain. Sometimes when I try to bend down there is a sharp pain in my lower back. There are other times when I am laying down and the sharp pain stops me from getting up. I haveSuicide isn’t selfish because having suicidal thoughts is an illness, nobody gets called selfish for having cancer, having depression/suicidal thoughts is no different than cancer for they are both illnesses. been searching for something that could tell me what’s wrong. My friend has the same thing and when I told her my symptoms she said that it sounded like what she has. She had bad posture and ran track. I decided to look it up and when I found your article I knew I had to try the excersizes out. Once I tried it out my back felt better just after about a week. Thank you so much!
Author
Thanks for your comment Daniela. I hope you talk to a councillor as you have a lot on your plate.
Hello Dr. Ken, first of all thanks for all the advice you are giving out on the internet for free! I also have poor back posture and sort of self diagnosed it to be kyphosis with lordosis. When I stand, my butt sticks out, the top back of my chest is curved, and my head is forward. (looks like swayback) I can fit my hand up to the wrist behind my back when I stand against the wall. I have tried the exercises mentioned above, with the exception of squats because my goal is to get my butt smaller, for a few weeks now and haven’t seen any improvements yet. Can you help me make sure I am not misdiagnosing? (I can send pictures if that will help) I am 18 years old and would like to get this problem fixed as soon as possible.
Thanks!
Author
Thanks for your question David. You are welcome. If it helps a few more people to be educated about their back I am happy. Try for a couple months and add in the squats David. Your butt won’t grow even if it did, by changing your posture your butt would look smaller. You have to do weights to get your butt bigger in any way. I have never had a patient say their butt got bigger from doing squats without weights. Toned yes, stronger yes, but never bigger.
Hope that helps your posture.
Your website is fantastic. I am so grateful to you for all of these amazing exercises. I have hyperlordosis, and a slipped disk, and have started incorporating your exercises a few times a week, and have noticed a slight difference. I see you recommend that these should be done daily in the beginning, so I am going to start doing them daily.
I want to just thank you for being so generous with your knowledge and gifts. I wish you were in Santa Barbara, so that I could send all my friends to you, as well. If there is some way that I can support you, please let me know. This has been a major gift to me.
Author
Thanks for your “thank you” Tamara. Your appreciation is wecome. I can’t ask anything more.
Hi Dr!
i used to keep my baby for 5-6 hrs im a bouncer since she was 2 months. she is 5 months now. Unfortunately i just realized her lower back spine has curved outwards slightly. how can i rectify this?hope it won’t cause any serious issues as she grows. i have however stopped using the bouncer for a while now
Author
Thanks for the question Samina. All babies need to crawl in order to develop properly. She is certainly not walking yet so you are not too late. Just let her crawl and also she will push her upper back up on her own.
Basically you just need to let your baby do what a baby normally does.
Hope that helps your baby’s spine.