Pelvic Placement

Question 1

Getting a client comfortable/ aware of their pelvis

Answer 1

Why is this important?

Because when we cue pelvic placement the lumbar spine and pelvis move together.

How do we do this?

Building awareness of how they move together

Question 2

Cue/ exercise for pelvic awareness

Answer 2

-Roll the pelvis away from you and toards you on an axis through the hips. Don’t worry about the breaths, just move and notice that when you focus on moving your pelvis, your lumbar spine moves too.

3-5x’s

Question 3

Neutral Spine

Answer 3

-Defined as-

• When the triangle formed by ASIS and Pubic Symphysis is level
• This results in a small curve in the lumbar spine

-Optimal for-

• Shock absoption while standing
• Engagement of the deep abdominals, TA & PF

-Use-

• When one or both feet are supported (Closed Kinetic Chain)
• In an Open Kinetic Chain when the client is strong enough to stabilize the lumbar spine

-Also- Neutral is the best position to engage pelvis and transversus abdominus

Question 4

Imprint

Answer 4

-Defined as-

• Small Posterior tilt of the pelvis coming forward from obliques contracting
• Lumbar spine moves toward the floor
• Optimal for-
• Protecting the lumbar spine during exercises where both legs are in the air (Open Kinetic Chain) when not strong enough to stabilize to neutral
• Use-
• When a client is not strong enough to stabilize the lumbar spine with both feet in the air

Question 5

Exercise to test out neutral versus imprint

Answer 5

-Lie supine and exhale to imprint, inhale to return to neutral
3x’s

-Next, hold imprint and bring one leg to table top and the bring the other leg to table top. Exhale and tap one foot to the floor, inhale to return. Repeat to the other side.

3x’s

Notice how leg movements challenge the pelvis and lumbar spine placement. That is, holding imprint becomes harder when we add leg movements.