The movement of your pelvis is a little-known yet profound part of your Gait. This is a big topic. But, this blog post offers 3 essentil tips for you to experiment with and improve your walking gait.
First, what is Your Pelvis, and how is it Related to Gait?
Actually, your pelvis is not one thing. Our pelvis is made of two separate innominate bones. And, these bones are deeply connected to healthy hip and leg movements. In fact, if you can’t include the pelvis in your gait, you will develop painful problems. So, let’s get out ahead of those and bring the pelvis consciously into our gait.
As you can see from the picture below, these two bones only make one pelvis when we recognize they are joined to one another in the front and behind. The forward joint is called the pubic symphysis, and the joints behind are called the sacroiliac joints. Perhaps obviously, the back joints are between the ilium of the innominate bones and the sacral portion of the spine.
Curiously, when you walk, the Pelvis Joints Move!
Put your fingertips on your “pubic bone”. With sensitivity, find the soft, somewhat squishy disc in the center of it. This is your Pubic symphysis. Now, notice if you shift your weight from right to left, this bone is different in position from one side to the other. That is because your public bone is not one bone! If it were, you would not be able to place one foot in front of the other.
Embodiment Tip Number 1: If you can trace the bone from the right pubic bone to your right sitting bone, you can feel how it supports your stepping from underneath! The muscles of this area form a kind of sling that increases your ability to step with ease.
Similarly, find the deep ridges at sacrum height in your back. These ridges indicate the movable joints of your sacroiliac. Use the video below to help you find the landmarks of your pelvis so it can be more fully part of your gait!
Use this video to help you find out how your pelvis is an essential part of your gait.
Embodiment Tip Number 2: Your ilium changes direction with each step you take! Just hold on to it as you walk and feel its movement. Now, trace it to its back side, and you can feel how your Posterior Illiac slides on your sacrum.
Noticing this movment helps some of my clients stop sacroiliac pain in its tracks!
The Pelvis Holds the Hip Joints
Almost everyone worries about their hips. Understandably, these joints can be overworked or overstretched, and those habits can cause pain. Check out the video and picture up top again. Your hip joints are made up of your leg bones and your pelvis! Again, the pelvis part of your gait is essential because you don’t have a hip joint without a pelvis.
Embodiment Tip Number 3: Find your hip joints. They are located behind your groin crease and your sit bones. You can’t touch them directly. Practice bending and straightening your knees very slowly. As you bend your knees, let your pelvis tip forward very slightly. Then stand. Do this as a very tiny movement. Eventually, feel how your pelvis sits easily above your legs. You will know if you are on the right track because you will feel taller!
See how it’s done.
The Pelvis Part of Your Gait Doesn’t Solve all Walking Problems
Okay, it’s pretty normal to have concerns about your gait. It’s also pretty normal to have never considered your pelvis as part of the problem! As you embody these tips, you will et more ease and fluidity. How you embody is the “secret sauce,” I mean, you can “make” your body behave differently, but you can practice more accurate movement and start to feel what you are picturing. With time and practice, a whole new experience of your pelvis and your gait will take root!
It’s a matterof giving yourself time and space to recover the natural intelligence of your body.
If you need help or resources for Your Gait, Keep reading
I offer ongoing walking workshops and one one-on-one sessions. These classes and workshops are invaluable because our human bodies evolved to walk. It really is what we are meant ot be doing and I can help you stay pain and injury free. You can also visit my YouTube Yoga, Somatics and Walking Playlist
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