Hyperlordosis, or excessive lumbar curvature, can lead to pain and discomfort in the lower back, hips, neck and even result in changes to posture.
Lack of exercise, obesity and pregnancy are major contributors to back problems; other conditions include spondylolisthesis (when one vertebra slips forward onto its neighbor). In this article we’ll also look at stretching exercises which may help alleviate back discomfort.
Planks
Hyperlordosis, more commonly referred to as hollow back syndrome, refers to an exaggerated inward curve in the lumbar spine. While any slight inward curvature is essential for optimal functioning of the spine, when its curvature becomes excessive it can put strain on other parts of your spinal column and result in discomfort for you and your back. With some simple exercises you may be able to reverse the condition and manage pain more effectively.
One of the best ways to correct hyperlordosis is through performing a basic plank exercise. Begin by lying on your back with elbows on the floor directly under your shoulders; tighten up core muscles as you hold this position for several minutes before relaxing back down into an ordinary plank position.
Plank poses can be challenging for newer exercisers, but are essential if you wish to correct lordosis and improve posture overall. Regular practice will strengthen your core, which in turn stabilizes the lumbar spine and decreases curvatures that could otherwise occur in it.
Make the exercise harder by lifting legs or arms off of the ground to increase demand on your core muscles and strengthen them more effectively than traditional straight-arm planking exercises. Doing this requires greater balance, and can engage more of the obliques (side muscles of your core).
Support yourself on a stability ball for an extra challenge and require yourself to use abdominal muscles in order to keep the correct body position. Furthermore, this exercise requires more stability than traditional plank exercises so can serve as an excellent training exercise before moving onto more advanced hyperlordosis exercises.
Increase the difficulty of this exercise by increasing its duration. If you’re just beginning, try holding a plank for two minutes as an initial start point; as your core strength improves, gradually extend its length.
Bridges
Your lower spine — known as the lumbar region — naturally features an arch called lordosis, which provides your back with support and keeps its alignment. However, excessively pronounced curves may put pressure on vertebrae and shift your center of gravity forward, leading to back pain or other symptoms. Hyperlordosis typically arises from weak front body muscles or poor posture but could also result from health conditions or genetic traits.
People living with this condition typically experience mild-to-severe lower back pain that is worsened by movement and exercise, along with symptoms like numbness and stiffness in their back and abdomen. If these symptoms become severe, consult your physician regarding getting an MRI or CT scan for further diagnostic and treatment options.
Bridge exercises such as those demonstrated in this video from Princeton University Athletic Medicine can help strengthen your core muscles to reduce lordosis by keeping balance and keeping hips from tilting too far back, leading to an uncomfortable lordotic posture. With its unpredictable instability, performing bridge exercises requires core muscles to work harder in order to keep you upright while keeping hips from tilting too far back, thus contributing to an unhealthy posture with an excessively forward tilted lordotic posture.
Study conducted in 2018 examined the effects of both stable and unstable bridging exercises on static and dynamic spinal curvature among participants. Researchers discovered that unstable bridge exercises with abdominal drawing-in maneuver were more successful at improving spinal curvature than stable bridge exercises alone; their unstable surface encouraged cooperative contraction of trunk muscles to minimize damage to the spine while stabilizing it further.
To perform the unstable bridging exercise, lie flat on the floor with your arms at your sides or tucked beneath your head. Inhale and draw your belly button toward your spine to engage your core muscles forming a hollow bowl shape with your stomach. Hold this pose for 10 repetitions on one side before switching sides – this exercise provides a straightforward method to improve both spinal strength and stability while decreasing lordosis.
Abdominal Twists
This exercise, commonly known as the Russian twist or seated oblique twist, strengthens abdominal muscles and can help correct hyperlordosis caused by weak core and hip flexor muscles. You can do it alone or as part of an overall core strengthening workout; adding medicine balls or weighted exercises for extra resistance increases its challenge and complexity.
The lumbar spine naturally curves inward just above the buttocks to create an area known as lordosis, with an area called the lordosis. While mild curvatures are normal, excessive lordosis may cause pain and discomfort to lower back muscles. This condition, sometimes referred to as hollow back syndrome or swaybacking can be due to weak core muscles, tight hip flexors or poor exercise form.
Hyperlordosis’ exact cause remains unknown; however, in many instances it can be linked to poor diet, obesity or poor exercise habits. Targeting core and pelvic muscles through targeted exercises may help improve posture and lessen lordosis; in more serious cases medical attention may be necessary.
Once diagnosed, healthcare professionals will recommend pain relief and core strengthening exercises as solutions. If weight is an issue, doctors may suggest an exercise and nutrition plan designed to promote weight loss.
Patients suffering from hyperlordosis should practice good posture while sitting or standing and avoid slouching during tasks like lifting objects; when one does slouch, this can contribute to an overarching of the spine that can increase hyperlordosis’ severity. They should also perform breathing exercises to facilitate diaphragmatic movement that relieve pressure off their ribs by decreasing thoracic spine extension forces and release any pressure placed upon ribs by doing this. Finally, surgery may be considered in severe cases; most hyperlordotic backs can be corrected using exercises, physical therapy and lifestyle modifications.
Hip Lifts
Hyperlordosis, also known as lower back arching, can cause an excessive flexion in the lumbar spine that puts undue strain on muscles and joints in this region, leading to pain. Poor posture may be to blame; individuals who spend long hours sitting – such as office workers – may be particularly at risk; and it’s not unusual for individuals with weak shoulders to overarch their lower back to compensate. These factors all can add up and lead to hyperlordosis developing over time.
Normal lumbar spines feature a C-shaped curve with an inward tilt known as the lordotic curve, which assists with pelvic stability and lower back alignment. If this curve becomes excessively pronounced it is known as hyperlordosis which increases your risk for low back pain and numbness.
Hyperlordosis is caused by muscle imbalances in the lumbar spine. Over time, muscles recruited to support stability of this region during sitting, standing and walking will become tighter, leading to greater extension in its extension; exercising to decrease this excessive flexion may alleviate symptoms associated with hyperlordosis.
One of the best hyperlordosis exercises is performing a hip lift exercise. This stretch can provide great benefits to both the lower back and abdominal region and can be performed either on a stability ball or directly on the floor. Simply start by placing both hands shoulder-width apart on the ground; lean forward as you contract your abdominals to round your back before holding this position for several seconds and repeat several times daily to help improve lower back posture and decrease curvature of your spine.
As your progress, add exercise into standing and walking positions as well. However, take care not to engage in exercises that force excessive extension on the back – this could exacerbate a hyperlordotic curve further! Instead focus on exercises and positions which promote neutral spinal alignment.
