There may be a connection between anterior pelvic tilt, thoracic mobility, and hip arthritis.
A new study examined 50 patients with hip arthritis. Radiographic imaging was taken at the beginning of the study and 12 months later in order to track joint space narrowing over time. Researchers found that subjects who had a greater anterior inclination of the spine, as well as those who had limited thoracic mobility, demonstrated a greater progression of arthritis over the course of the 12 months.
Conclusions
This study highlights how the functioning of the hips can be highly influenced by the spine. Previous research has indicated that when the pelvis is tilted anteriorly, this can drive the femurs forward in the socket and limit hip mobility, which may contribute to increased loading on various tissues in the joint. For subjects who are excessively anteriorly tilted or hyperlordotic, exercises that revert these adaptations could theoretically be useful for allowing the hip to function more optimally and delaying the progression of arthritis.
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