I followed the "Hot and Spicy" show to lose weight, but my belly is getting bigger and bigger? Maybe it's not because I'm not working hard

I believe many people will have a kind of trouble

Your own belly

Unconsciously, I have made rapid progress

Gradually, I even had an "S-shaped figure"

Lordosis: refers to the bulge of the belly

Back tilt: The buttocks are tilted, but loose and deformed

Many people think that this body shape is just a result of living a comfortable life and simply gaining some weight. Is this really the case? I'm afraid it's not that simple.

This kind of body shape with a convex front and a curved back may be caused not only by fat accumulation, but also by an anterior tilt of your pelvis.

As the name suggests, pelvic tilt means that the angle of the pelvis tilting forward increases and the physiological curvature of the lumbar spine increases.

You can imagine, if there is a hand pushing your waist forward all the time, will you unconsciously stick out your belly and lift your butt?

The same principle applies to pelvic tilt. The change in the physiological curvature of the spine is like an invisible hand, which will make your lower abdomen and buttocks particularly protruding, and your whole center of gravity tilt forward.

Image source: Made by myself

Not only that, but this change may also affect other aspects of your body.

Bad postures such as hunchback, round shoulders, wide hips, walking with feet outward, hyperextension of the knees, strong calves, and enlarged and sagging buttocks are actually related to pelvic tilt and may be cause and effect of each other.

In addition to affecting your body shape, anterior pelvic tilt may also cause other health hazards. For example:

Back pain : The change in center of gravity caused by the forward tilt of the pelvis will cause imbalance in waist strength, increase the pressure on the waist and back muscles, and keep them in a state of tension for a long time. If you stand or exercise for a long time, you will experience waist pain, back pain, and even shoulder pain.

Lumbar disease : Severe pelvic anterior tilt can make the lumbar spine more susceptible to some diseases, such as lumbar disc herniation, lumbar muscle strain, lumbar spinal stenosis, etc.

Chronic fatigue: When the pelvis is tilted forward and the spine is in a bad position, the muscles will gradually become unbalanced if they maintain a bad posture for a long time, which may make the body more prone to fatigue and muscle soreness;

Impact on internal organs: There are a large number of internal organs and reproductive organs in the pelvis. Changes in the pelvis may lead to weakened gastrointestinal motility, constipation, dysmenorrhea and other problems.

Image source: Photo Network

Does having a small belly necessarily mean that your pelvis is tilted forward? That’s not necessarily the case. Maybe it’s really just the belly that’s been caused by obesity?

There are three typical manifestations of anterior pelvic tilt:

1. When standing, the lower abdomen and buttocks bulge, the buttocks sag and deform, and the neck leans forward;

2. When sleeping, lying flat will cause waist discomfort and difficulty in lying flat;

3. The legs show compensatory knee hyperextension and the calves are obviously convex.

If you suspect you have anterior pelvic tilt, it is best to make a comprehensive judgment based on these characteristics and then go to the hospital for further examination.

There is also a very simple way to test yourself:

Stand against a wall and try to keep your head, shoulders, hips and heels as close to the wall as possible. If you can fit a fist into the gap between your waist and the wall, it means that the lumbar curvature is too large and you may have a problem with pelvic tilt.

Of course, the most reliable way is to spend a few dozen dollars to take a pelvic X-ray to measure the angle of pelvic tilt.

Image source: Photo Network

From the perspective of exercise rehabilitation, the most important thing is to stretch and relax the tense muscles in the back and waist, and strengthen the abdominal muscles and hip extension muscles.

Stretching your muscles can be done this way

1. Lunge forward with one leg, keep your back straight and your center of gravity forward

Image source: Photo Network

2. Sit on your heels with your abdomen tucked in, lean forward, and stretch your arms forward as far as possible.

Image source: Photo Network

You can do this to exercise your abdominal muscles

To do crunches, lie flat on your back with your legs bent, and use your abdominal force to lift your upper body about 45 degrees while avoiding exerting force on your neck.

Image source: Photo Network

Strengthen your buttocks and hamstrings by doing this

To do the hip bridge exercise, bend your knees and support your feet on the ground. Use the muscles on the buttocks and back of the thighs to lift your hips up so that your calves and thighs are at 90 degrees and your shoulders, hips, and knees are in a straight line.

Image source: Photo Network

However, although these actions can help improve your posture, it is more important to change your posture habits in daily life:

1. Avoid sitting for long periods of time, stand up and move around regularly, keep your body upright when sitting, use a lumbar support and fit the back of the chair, and do not sit slumped, crookedly, or cross your legs;

2. Maintain correct standing and walking posture, always remind yourself to lower your shoulders, slightly squeeze your hips, slightly tuck your chin in, do not lean your center of gravity forward or backward, and avoid wearing high heels.

3. Lie flat on your back when sleeping, put a pillow under your knees, and avoid lying on your side for a long time.

Finally, if your pelvic anterior tilt has seriously affected your life, don't delay! Go to the rehabilitation department as soon as possible and ask the doctor to see you. They will give you professional rehabilitation advice.

Statement: This article is a medical-related educational popular science article. It does not involve specific treatment methods or medical behaviors and cannot replace hospital visits.

Experts collaborating on this article

References

[1] Zhao Meiping, Ren Haiyan, Sun Junfang, et al. Evaluation of the current status of poor posture and treatment intervention among college students[J]. Chinese Practical Medicine, 2023, 18(19): 166-169. DOI: 10.14163/j.cnki.11-5547/r.2023.19.045

[2] Tian Yuhao, Huang Sijie, Sun Ziyan, et al. Study on the effect of iliopsoas muscle training on improving pelvic anterior tilt [J]. Contemporary Sports Science and Technology, 2021, 11(33): 32-35. DOI: 10.16655/j.cnki.2095-2813.2107-1579-4882

[3] Liu Mei. A brief discussion on exercise rehabilitation methods for pelvic tilt syndrome[J]. Sports World (Academic Edition), 2019, (05): 159-160. DOI: 10.16730/j.cnki.61-1019/g8.2019.05.098

Content Production

Editor: Zhang Fuyao

Map: Eastern Zhou Dynasty