Kinesiology THURSDAY – Pelvic Rotation and the Tubing Punch (Why Did That Work?!)

Pelvic bone diagram with red arrows indicating rotation.

Pelvic rotation is a common source of lower extremity and lower back pain causing one foot to over supinate and one foot to over pronate. In the case of a right rotated pelvis, the right foot would be supinated and the left pronated, creating a functional leg length discrepancy.

Test for a pelvic rotation by performing the supine foam roll balance test for three seconds. The leg that is more difficult to pick up is the direction the pelvic is rotated.

A quick fix is the tubing punch.

Stand with your feet hip width apart and toes pointed straight ahead
If your pelvis is rotated to the right (right leg is harder to pick up during the foam roll balance test), then you should hold the tubing in your right hand
Perform a right glute set and square your pelvis to the front. This creates relative external rotation of the involved hip to neutral.
Hold the glute set while you punch 12 times. (This only works if one glute is set. If you contract both glutes, it will not correct the rotation)
Reset the right glute and repeat for 2-3 set x 12.
Retest supine foam roll balance

Man performing resistance band chest exercises.

Why does this work?!

This solution is based on the concept of optimal length tension. If a pelvis is rotated to the right, the right hip is relatively internally rotated at rest, placing the external rotators (gluteus maximus) in a long/weak position. By contracting the gluteus maximus and squaring up the pelvis, the glute is being taught to stabilize the pelvis in the neutral position. The resistance of the tubing punch reinforces the need for this stability. If the resistance is heavy enough, you will feel a stronger glute contraction. If it is too light, there will be little need for stabilization, rendering this exercise ineffective.

Why does this matter?

Overuse injuries such as plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, patellar tendonitis, ITB friction syndrome are often due to over pronation or supination of limb. At the core of these dysfunctions is usually a rotated pelvis. The standing tubing punch is an excellent precursor to strengthening activities for the lower extremity. Give it a try.

Because nobody has time to be in pain.

Until next time…