What is Pelvic Realignment? Chronic Back and Hip Pain Relief?
- phangngatcmclinic
- 22 hours ago
- 8 min read
Are you suffering from persistent lower back pain or chronic hip pain that you can't seem to pinpoint the cause of, or that just won't go away? These symptoms might be signs that your pelvis is out of alignment. The pelvis acts as the crucial foundation of your body. If this structure is unbalanced, it can lead to ripple effects throughout your body, impacting your spine, hip joints, knees, and even your feet. This often results in chronic pain, restricted movement, and various physical problems, especially for those who've experienced accidents or new mothers dealing with significant bodily changes.
Understanding the Pelvis
Before we dive into Pelvic Realignment, let's understand the basics of the pelvis.
Basic Anatomy, Components, and Key Roles of the Pelvis
The pelvis is a large, ring-shaped bone structure located in the hip area. It serves as a vital connection point between the upper torso and the legs. It comprises three main bones intricately connected:
Innominate bones (Hip bones): Two bones, one on the left and one on the right. Each is composed of three fused parts: the Ilium (the upper, wing-like part), the Ischium (the lower part we sit on), and the Pubis (the front part).
Sacrum: A triangular bone located at the base of the spine, connecting to both hip bones.
Coccyx (Tailbone): A small bone at the very end of the sacrum.
The pelvis is not merely a stationary structure; it functions as a stable foundation for the upper spine and a critical attachment point for numerous muscles involved in torso and leg movement.
The Importance of the Pelvis in Weight Bearing and Movement
The pelvis plays an extremely important role in various bodily functions:
Weight Bearing: It acts as the primary support column, bearing weight from the upper body and transferring it down to the legs and feet when we stand or walk.
Movement: It's essential for hip and leg movement, allowing us to walk, run, sit, stand, or rotate with agility.
Protection of Internal Organs: The pelvis also helps protect vital organs within the lower abdominal cavity, such as the bladder, lower intestines, and reproductive organs.
Origin and Insertion Point for Muscles: It's the starting and ending point for hundreds of crucial muscles that control movements of the torso, hips, and legs.
When the pelvis is in a balanced and stable position, our body can function efficiently, reducing unnecessary pressure on joints and muscles. However, if the pelvis becomes abnormal, imbalanced, or twisted out of its proper alignment, it affects overall body function, leading to pain and various physical problems, which we will discuss further.
Impact of Pelvic Misalignment
When the pelvis is correctly aligned, the body can move smoothly, efficiently, and without pain. However, when misalignment (subluxation) occurs, whether due to minor or severe injuries, poor posture, pregnancy and childbirth, leg length discrepancies, or even daily habits, it can lead to aches, imbalances, and other issues. Pelvic misalignment can manifest in several forms:
Anterior Pelvic Tilt: The front of the pelvis tilts downwards, causing excessive arching in the lower back (lordosis) and a protruding bottom. This can lead to lower back pain and tightness in the front hip muscles and hamstrings.
Posterior Pelvic Tilt: The front of the pelvis lifts upwards, flattening or rounding the lower back (flatback). This can result in lower back pain and hamstring tightness.
Lateral Pelvic Tilt / Pelvic Obliquity: One side of the pelvis is higher than the other, often caused by unequal leg length, muscle imbalances, or scoliosis. This can lead to pain in one hip, back, or knee.
Rotational / Torsional Misalignment: Twisting of the pelvis, causing uneven stress on the SI joints and potentially affecting the upper and lower spine.
Signs You Might Have Pelvic Imbalance
If you experience these symptoms, your pelvis might be the culprit:
Pain: Lower back pain, hip pain, buttock pain, groin pain, Sacroiliac (SI) joint pain, radiating pain down the leg similar to a herniated disc, or even unexplained knee and foot pain.
Abnormal Posture: You might feel unstable when walking or standing, notice one leg appears shorter than the other, uneven shoulders, a tilted hip, a limping gait, or a hunched posture.
Other Issues: May include unbalanced movement, numbness, or in some cases, affect bladder control or lead to urinary incontinence.
Common causes of pelvic imbalance often stem from prolonged incorrect sitting posture, sports injuries or accidents, pregnancy and childbirth, improper exercise techniques, or even differing leg lengths.
Chronic Back Pain After Accidents
Various accidents, including car accidents, falls, or sports injuries, can directly impact the structure of the pelvis and spine, leading to chronic back pain after accidents.
Causes: The impact from an injury can cause the pelvis to shift out of alignment, twist, or affect the function of surrounding joints and muscles. Even without bone fractures, the shock can destabilize the pelvic structure, often leading to persistent pain that might appear immediately or later after the injury.
Symptoms: Pain is typically felt in the lower back, hips, or buttocks and may radiate down the leg. There might also be muscle stiffness, restricted movement, or a feeling of instability while standing or walking.
Role of Pelvic Realignment: Pelvic Realignment is crucial for chronic back pain after accidents. A specialist will perform a thorough assessment to identify the misaligned areas and use appropriate realignment techniques to restore proper pelvic positioning. This helps reduce inflammation, alleviate pressure, and promote the body's recovery process, allowing muscles and joints to function normally, reducing pain, and preventing long-term chronic issues.
Chronic Postpartum Back Pain
Many mothers experience chronic postpartum back pain, a very common symptom often directly related to changes in the pelvis.
Causes: During pregnancy, the body produces hormones that soften and relax ligaments, including those in the pelvic area, in preparation for childbirth. Additionally, increased weight and changes in posture during pregnancy put extra strain on the pelvis. After childbirth, the pelvis may not automatically return to a balanced position. Furthermore, activities like holding and feeding the baby, or changing diapers in improper postures, can exacerbate the imbalance and lead to chronic pain.
Symptoms: Common symptoms include lower back pain, pain around the pubic symphysis, hip pain, or even radiating leg pain, which can impact daily life and childcare.
Role of Pelvic Realignment: Pelvic Realignment plays a vital role in helping new mothers. By assessing and realigning the pelvis, which may have shifted or twisted, to its proper position, it helps reduce pressure, alleviate pain, and restore the strength and function of the pelvic floor and core muscles.
What is Pelvic Realignment?
Pelvic Realignment is an approach to align and balance the pelvis, the bone structure connecting our lower spine to our thigh bones. The principle is to correct misalignments of the pelvis that may be twisted, shifted, or out of balance from their optimal position, allowing the body to return to its correct biomechanical alignment. This helps reduce abnormal pressure on joints and muscles.
Many people might wonder how Pelvic Realignment differs from general chiropractic adjustments. General chiropractic often focuses on overall spinal adjustments, but Pelvic Realignment specifically targets the pelvis, considering it the "center" of the body. If the pelvis is correctly positioned, it helps the upper and lower body structures function more efficiently. Specialists in Pelvic Realignment are often physical therapists, chiropractors, or specialized practitioners directly trained in this field.
Benefits of Pelvic Realignment
Pelvic Realignment doesn't just help with pain; it also benefits the entire body:
Alleviates Chronic Pain: Especially lower back and hip pain caused by improper bone alignment.
Improves Posture and Appearance: Helps you stand, walk, and sit with more grace and confidence.
Enhances Movement Efficiency: Whether walking, running, or exercising, it reduces movement limitations.
Reduces Risk of Injury: When the body's structure is balanced, the forces acting on joints and muscles decrease, lowering the chance of injury from daily activities.
Improves Overall Quality of Life: When the body is free from pain and moves freely, you'll feel more comfortable, energized, and happier with life.
Pelvic Realignment Process: How to Prepare?
Once you decide to undergo Pelvic Realignment, the process begins with:
Initial Assessment: A detailed history of symptoms, physical examination, analysis of standing and walking posture, and possibly leg length measurement to accurately identify the root cause of the problem. This step is the most crucial.
Realignment Techniques Used: At Phangnga Chinese Medical Clinic, we use the gentle and precise APBC Technique for realignment, acupuncture to release tight muscles, and exercises to strengthen core muscles. Adjuster tools may also be used.
Number of Sessions and Duration of Treatment: Depends on the specific problem and severity of symptoms for each individual. Generally, continuous treatment for approximately 3-5 sessions is often required.
Post-Treatment Guidelines: For lasting results, you'll receive self-care advice, such as home exercises and adjustments to daily habits like correct sitting, standing, and walking postures.
Pelvic Realignment with Advanced Postural Biomechanical Correction Technique (APBC Technique)
Currently, there's an advanced joint realignment technique that significantly enhances the precision and effectiveness of pelvic balancing: the Advanced Postural Biomechanical Correction Technique (APBC Technique).
APBC Technique is a comprehensive approach to correcting complex postural biomechanical issues. It doesn't just look at the pelvis in isolation but meticulously analyzes its relationship with other structures throughout the body, such as the feet, knees, spine, and head.
The difference and strength of APBC lie in its highly accurate assessment, which may include computerized gait/posture analysis or precise leg length measurements, to truly pinpoint the areas of imbalance. Then, specific and precise adjustment techniques are used to restore the pelvis and related structures to their correct alignment in a holistic manner. This leads to sustainable root cause correction, long-term pain reduction, and improved overall body movement efficiency.
You can find more information about the APBC Technique in our article: "What is APBC Technique? A New Option for Joint Realignment."
Who is Pelvic Realignment Suitable For, and Who Should Avoid It?
Pelvic Realignment is suitable for:
Those with unexplained chronic lower back pain, hip pain, or buttock pain.
Individuals experiencing issues from pelvic imbalance, such as abnormal posture, uneven shoulders, or a limping gait.
New mothers with chronic back or hip pain due to bodily changes.
Athletes seeking to improve performance and reduce injury risk.
Those wanting to improve their posture and overall appearance.
Precautions and Who Should Avoid It: You should consult a doctor or specialist before treatment if you are pregnant (especially in the first trimester or have complications), have severe osteoporosis, or have infections/tumors in the spine.
However, our clinic only provides treatment to patients who are suitable for the specific methods. Acupuncture or cupping might be performed before adjustments to relax muscles and prevent injury, with the final decision based on the doctor's discretion.
Conclusion
Pelvic Realignment, especially when utilizing advanced techniques like the APBC Technique, is an effective option for addressing chronic back and hip pain caused by pelvic imbalance, including chronic postpartum back pain and chronic back pain after accidents. Restoring balance to this fundamental body structure not only alleviates pain but also improves posture, enhances movement efficiency, and leads to a better quality of life in the long run. If you are experiencing these issues, consulting a Pelvic Realignment specialist could be a crucial step towards regaining a strong and balanced body.
If you are suffering from chronic aches or wish to comprehensively care for your bone and muscle health, Phangnga Chinese Medical Clinic, Phuket, is ready to provide consultation and expert care.
Contact us to schedule your assessment:
Phuket heroines' monument Branch, Phuket Province: Call (+66)80-516-9239
Muang Phang Nga Branch,Phang Nga Province: Call (+66)92-284-3804
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