Pelvic Bowl? Please explain…..

Pelvic Bowl? Please explain…..

You might find your physio going on about the position of your pelvis….it’s too far tilted this way…it’s tucking too far that way…it’s rotating too much…on and on the physio goes…..

But what does it all mean? What exactly is the pelvis?

  Let’s begin with a picture of your pelvis:

 And here is where it sits in relation to the rest of your body:

Your pelvis is a vital structure for transmitting forces from  your legs through to your spine and upper body

 Fun facts about your pelvis:

 It is made up of:
  • Left ilium
  • Right ilium
  • Sacrum
  • It forms forms half of the hip joint (acetabular socket).
  • It articulates directly with the lowest segments of your spine (lumbar spine).
  • It directly influences what your hip and lower back are doing.
  • What your spine and legs are doing can influence the position of the pelvis.
  • Your pelvis is capable of ending up in all sorts of positions and angles, which is great for pulling off some amazing dance moves.

Your “pelvic bowl”


“Why have you shown me this?” I hear you ask…..let’s use your imagination…..

  • Imagine that your pelvis is indeed a bowl, hinging at the hip joint.
  • Imagine that your pelvis-bowl (or shall we call it your bowlvis?) is fill to the brim with liquid. It can be any liquid you like. Perhaps it’s water, maybe it’s soup, it could be Doctor Pepper?!.
  • Now what happens if you tilt the bowl forwards? Yes, the Fanta will spill out all over the floor.
  • Same if you tilt it backwards, OJ everywhere!
  • So the position where all the lovely hot chocolate stays in the bowl when you’re in standing or sitting is “neutral”, equal front and back, side to side.

Are you still with me?……….

Neutral: equal front and back, equal side to side

Here is a picture of the bowl of the pelvis tilting and spilling, just to make sure we’re all on the same page:

Neutral Pelvis?  What’s the big deal?

It’s all about posture.

Aligned posture is the basis for giving many dancers the look of being balanced and light, agile, strong and free. It also allows the surrounding muscles to work efficiently at their optimal length.

 In a neutral pelvic position, there is a slight curve in the lower back, not too much, but it’s not completely flat either.

Many people stand with too much of an arch in their lower back, or with their pelvis tipped too far backwards, and this is often the underlying cause of low back pain or control issues and it may contribute to hip impingement.

Being able to attain this “neutral” posture in standing, say, in a ballet class, is essential to clean technique and therefore strong dancing and safe dancing.

Try your pelvic bowl yourself.

Next time you’re at the barre, check on where your pelvis is at, and see if you can keep that liquid gold in your bowl when you plie, tendu, rise and jump.

Do you think you have an alignment or pelvic issue?

Please call us at the clinic today!  03 9820 1324

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Annie Strauch