why putting a pillow under your knees when you sleep helps with back pain

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why putting a pillow under your knees when you sleep helps with back pain

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Anonymous 0 Comments

It depends on the person and what’s causing their back pain.

Normally when you’re lying on your back, your pelvis is tilted such that your lumbar spine is curved more as if you’re bending backwards (*anterior* tilt causing increased lordosis). If you have pain coming from a pinched nerve or arthritis in the joints at the back of the spine, the increase in curve is going to put more pressure on those further-back structures and cause pain. When you put a pillow under your knees, you’re shifting the tilt of the pelvis toward more *posterior* tilt, which decreases lordosis and puts less pressure on those further-back structures, and should feel more like when you bend forwards.

https://images.app.goo.gl/2S87WgJd3kjGXCQ97

I know this is isn’t r/Askdocs, but If this is the case for you, you’d probably benefit from practicing posterior pelvic tilts, glute strengthening exercises, and hip flexor stretching.

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