Pelvic torsion affecting lifts

[BenpMelton]

I have a rather unusual anthropometric issue I’ve not been able to get any help with. I have pelvic torsion, aka a twisted pelvis.

To explain, my right ilium is flexed forward, whereas my left is pulled backwards and hiked up. This creates a shortening in the QL/Obliques on that left side, making those muscles more prone to soreness than the other side.

In addition, on my right side my thighs are generally larger but the glutes are smaller and more atrophied, and vice versa on the left, where my glutes are more developed but my thighs are smaller and weaker. This also creates a leg length discrepancy, making my right knee noticeably lower than my left. I’ve tried correcting this with a homemade shim while doing the standing lifts, haven’t noticed any difference.

All things to say that my SI joints are highly unstable and my low back gets tweaked very easily and frequently, in spite of using good form that has been reviewed by SSCs more than once. It tends to produce sharp pain in my sacrum, and a dull ache in my left QL

I saw an upper cervical chiropractor who said it was due to a misalignment of C1 creating compensations in my pelvis, but I wanted to get a second opinion. Has anybody here ever encountered this kind of problem?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Is it at all possible that you have a leg length discrepancy which has caused the torsion? How big is the discrepancy? And what would you expect a "cervical chiropractor" to say, except that there is a cervical issue?

[Jason Donaldson]

I am not, of course, a chiropractor (upper cervical or otherwise), only an owner of a spine myself. However, I find it odd that a misalignment of one vertebra on the opposite end of the spine should be the root cause of such significant changes at the pelvis as you are describing, Ben. Some effects, sure, but what you describe sound oddly severe for originating as this professional asserts. On the other hand, if Rip is barking up the right tree, I would find it more reasonable that a LLD could contribute to the other symptoms, including a misaligned C1... Please note that a tilted pelvis will cause one leg to appear shorter than the other, but this is not in itself an actual LLD.

Rip's article on how to check for one explains the particulars: Leg Length Discrepancy | Mark Rippetoe

I'm curious how you observed the differences in your musculature and your pelvic positioning - did you notice these things yourself, or has someone else ascertained it for you? And how long have you been training through this?

Overall, if you have differential development and such, the solution is to get your body into position to do uniformly bilateral movements under load, and progress the weight within that format. The primary tool for this is getting into the correct form for executing the movements. If (and only if) a physiological reason is preventing this (e.g. an actual length discrepancy between the femurs, or between the lower legs), then a physical remedy like shimming or positioning may be indicated. Once the movements can be loaded and incrementally increased, the imbalances will tend to work themselves out over time as the weaker side will be the limiting factor, and will be forced to grow and catch up with the stronger side in each case.

[BenpMelton]

Is it at all possible that you have a leg length discrepancy which has caused the torsion? How big is the discrepancy? And what would you expect a "cervical chiropractor" to say, except that there is a cervical issue?

I don’t think it’s an anatomical leg discrepancy, at least according to this doctor who looked at my X-rays, but I suppose I’m not 100% certain.
I also had a couple C1 adjustments done on a few different occasions, and that appeared to normalize the legs at least temporarily.

To your point, yes I am skeptical of this person as I am of any chiropractor, but wanted to see if there was in fact any substance to the theory that upper cervical problems can be the root cause for pelvic asymmetry.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I fail to see how a small asymmetry at C1 could be amplified into a pelvic rotation inferior to L1. But I am not a "cervical chiropractor."

[BenpMelton]

I fail to see how a small asymmetry at C1 could be amplified into a pelvic rotation inferior to L1. But I am not a "cervical chiropractor."

Right, I’m doubtful too, I mostly included that detail for some background, so my question then is how serious of an issue with my pelvis do you think this may be, how should I be trying to correct it, possible training modifications, etc. Thanks!

[Mark Rippetoe]

I think it needs to be evaluated by a competent coach.