Self-Check for an Arched Lower Back! Causes, Remedies, and Our Treatments

When you’re curious whether you have an arched lower back, there’s a way to check for yourself.

This article details the causes of an arched lower back, improvement methods, and how to self-check.

What Is an Arched Lower Back?

An arched lower back is a state where the lower back curves more than normal.

Viewed from the side, the buttocks stick out and the belly appears to push forward.

It may look like good posture, but actually it’s a state placing significant strain on the lower back.

The spine draws a gentle S-curve.

This curve lets you distribute gravity and impact, allowing smooth bodily movement.

However, with an arched lower back, this S-curve collapses, and the lumbar spine curves excessively.

This places significant strain on the muscles and ligaments around the lower back, becoming a cause of various bodily discomforts like lower-back pain, shoulder stiffness, coldness, and constipation.

It also affects appearance, sometimes making the belly look like it’s protruding or giving an unflattering silhouette.

An arched lower back is by no means someone else’s problem. Many modern people are said to have a tendency toward it, to varying degrees.

What Causes an Arched Lower Back?

The causes of an arched lower back vary — from aging to changes in life stage.

Here we introduce the causes of an arched lower back.

Muscle Loss

One cause of an arched lower back is weakened muscles.

In particular, when the muscles around the belly and the iliopsoas — used when lifting the thighs — weaken, they can no longer support the pelvis, and the lower back arches.

For example, weight gain pulls the lower back down with the belly’s weight, making an arched lower back more likely.

Also, when lack of exercise reduces walking opportunities, muscles used during walking, like the iliopsoas and gluteal muscles, weaken and can no longer support the pelvis.

Stiffened ligaments around the hip joint are also a cause of an arched lower back.

When hip joint movement worsens, the pelvis tends to tilt forward, and the lower back arches to compensate.

Just as a house’s pillars can warp when trying to support a tilted foundation, when the pelvis tilts, the lower back is forced into an unnatural position too.

Influence of Back Muscles

The back muscles, which may seem unrelated at first glance, also significantly affect an arched lower back.

Women who wear high heels in particular should be cautious.

Wearing high heels tilts the body’s center of gravity forward.

To balance this, the back muscles work excessively, causing the lower back to arch.

This can happen even in those with strong abdominal and iliopsoas muscles.

Just as in tug-of-war, when only one side pulls too strongly, the overall balance collapses — when the back muscles overwork, the lower back’s balance collapses too.

Stiffened Hip Joint Muscles

When the muscles around the hip joint stiffen, pelvic movement worsens, becoming a cause of an arched lower back.

Those who sit for long periods, such as during desk work, should be especially cautious, as the hip joint muscles tend to stiffen easily.

When the hip joint muscles stiffen, the pelvis tends to tilt forward, causing the lower back to arch excessively.

Losing hip joint flexibility disrupts the whole body’s balance.

Weight Gain

When weight increases, the belly protrudes forward, shifting the body’s center of gravity forward.

To balance this, the lower back arches backward.

This is the same principle as arching your body backward to avoid falling forward when carrying a heavy load in front of you.

Weight gain increases the burden on the lower back and can worsen an arched lower back, so caution is needed.

Pregnancy

During pregnancy too, the growing belly shifts the body’s center of gravity forward, making an arched lower back more likely.

Just like with weight gain, this is because the lower back arches to support the weight of the belly.

During pregnancy, hormonal changes make joints and ligaments more prone to loosening, increasing the burden on the lower back, so extra caution is needed.

How Can You Check for an Arched Lower Back?

There’s an easy way to check for yourself whether you have an arched lower back.

First, stand with your back against a wall, touching your heels, buttocks, shoulder blades, and the back of your head to the wall.

If there’s a gap of more than one palm’s width between your lower back and the wall at this point, you may have an arched lower back.

Next, lie on your back with your knees straight and try slipping your palm between your lower back and the floor.

If your palm slides in easily, that’s also a sign of an arched lower back.

If these checks make you think you might have an arched lower back, it’s a good idea to be mindful of your posture within a comfortable range, or try some stretches.

For standing posture that helps improve and prevent an arched lower back, see this article.

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How Can You Improve an Arched Lower Back?

There are several ways to improve an arched lower back, all of which you can do in daily life.

Here we introduce specific improvement methods.

Be Mindful of Correct Posture

To improve an arched lower back, being mindful of correct posture daily is important.

When sitting, sit with your pelvis upright so your spine draws a gentle S-curve.

Imagining being pulled up from above by a string, keep your back straight and relax your shoulders — this naturally leads to correct posture.

When standing, be mindful of tucking your chin, lightly drawing in your belly, and firming your buttocks.

Positioning your center of gravity around the front of your ankles gives you a stable standing posture.

Maintaining correct posture requires a certain degree of muscle strength.

Especially if you feel you lack exercise, incorporating strength training is a good idea.

If you feel discomfort in your lower back, using a support that gently supports the whole lower back is also recommended.

Avoid Shoes with High Heels

High-heeled shoes keep you on tiptoe for extended periods, placing significant strain on your lower back.

If you have symptoms of an arched lower back, try to avoid heels as much as possible.

If you absolutely must wear heels, reduce the burden on your feet and lower back by changing into comfortable shoes or slippers during breaks, or using insoles made for heels.

It’s also recommended to wear five-toe socks that let your toes move freely in daily life, and to be mindful of feeling like your soles are firmly gripping the ground.

Stability in your feet connects to whole-body balance. Reviewing things from the ground up can help you build a body that more easily maintains the S-curve.

Receive Treatment at a Chiropractic Bodywork Salon

At a chiropractic bodywork salon, receiving treatment from a specialist can be expected to improve an arched lower back.

Bodywork reduces the burden on your lower back by adjusting bodily distortion and loosening muscular tension.

You’ll also receive advice on correct posture and how to use your body.

Just as a car mechanic performs maintenance, consulting a body specialist lets you learn about your bodily condition that you might not have noticed on your own.

Treatment at a chiropractic bodywork salon can be expected to fundamentally improve an arched lower back.

Our salon also performs many treatments for improvement, so please feel free to consult us.

For stretch methods to improve an arched lower back, see this article as well.

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For Improving an Arched Lower Back, KADOMORI’s Treatments Are Recommended!

Please leave the improvement of your arched lower back to us! Our salon offers many treatments for fundamentally improving an arched lower back.

Beyond just the lower back, we approach the muscles and skin too, aiming for improvement.

Here we introduce three of our recommended treatments.

Pelvic Correction

KADOMORI’s Pelvic Correction is recommended for those troubled by pelvic distortion — postpartum body changes, a widened pelvis, bowlegs, or knock-knees.

In treatment, we first carefully assess pelvic condition, then tighten the pelvis with training tailored to each individual.

So postpartum clients can receive it with peace of mind, treatment is available starting 2 months after childbirth.

Of course, no matter how many years have passed postpartum, it’s never too late to start pelvic correction.

We gently but firmly adjust the pelvis, the body’s foundation.

Body-Sculpting Remake ＜Radio-Frequency＞

Body-Sculpting Remake ＜Radio-Frequency＞ is a treatment using a high-frequency thermal device widely used in both esthetics and medicine.

The radio-frequency’s warming effect loosens stiffened muscles and promotes fat burning.

Furthermore, it raises metabolism, guiding you toward a body that loses weight more easily.

Since effects can also be expected for targeted fat reduction and cellulite resolution, it’s recommended not just for an arched lower back but for those aiming to improve their overall style too.

As you warm from your core, both mind and body can relax, letting you spend a soothing moment.

Body-Sculpting Remake ＜Synchro Wave＞

Body-Sculpting Remake ＜Synchro Wave＞ is a pleasant all-hand treatment where you feel a proprietary weak electrical current called the Synchro Wave throughout your body.

It’s a cutting-edge body-remaking technique, only available at KADOMORI, that gently envelops your whole body.

Some people even doze off from how pleasant it feels. Since a relaxing effect can also be expected, it’s recommended for those who want to heal daily fatigue too.

The Synchro Wave works on deep areas of the body, loosening muscular tension and adjusting bodily distortion, supporting improvement of an arched lower back.

Troubled by an Arched Lower Back? Consult KADOMORI!

This article has detailed the causes of an arched lower back, self-check methods, and improvement methods.

An arched lower back can cause pain in various parts of the body, so if it concerns you, let’s work on improvement early.

If you’re currently troubled by an arched lower back, please consult KADOMORI.

Let’s improve your arched lower back and aim for comfortable posture!