How Pilates Can Help Fix Your Posture & Five Exercises that Work
Have you ever caught yourself standing in front of the mirror and wondered, “Why does my posture feel so off?” Well, you’re absolutely not alone.
Many of us, especially women who spend long hours sitting, carrying infants around on your chests, backs, or hips, or those of us with physically demanding lifestyles find that our posture doesn’t feel aligned the way we want it to.
You might notice a pinch in your lower back, a forward tilt of your pelvis, or knees that feel “stiff” and achy when sitting or standing.
These are the inevitable results of the human experiences, and they’re not just happening in your head. They small cues inform how you move, how you feel, and even how confident you stand in your own body.
One of the most beautiful things I’ve learned as a Pilates instructor is that posture is not a punishment — it’s a conversation between your muscles and how you use them. And Pilates is one of the most reliable ways to help that conversation become clearer, more connected, and more balanced.
I want to discuss a few things with you:
What posture really is
Why anterior pelvic tilt and hyperextended knees are so common
How Pilates can help
Practical at-home Pilates exercises you can start today
This isn’t medical advice, but it is grounded in real movement science and my experience teaching people just like you.
What Is Posture, Really?
When most of us think of “good posture,” we think of standing tall and straight. But in movement science, posture is about alignment and balance.
When you think of what makes your posture “good”, think of how your head, spine, pelvis, knees, and ankles relate to each other in space when you’re moving and when you’re still.
Your posture shows up in everyday activities like:
Standing in line
Walking your dog
Reaching for items on a high shelf
Sitting at your desk
Bending to pick up your child
Your posture is dynamic, not static — and it reflects the intricate relationship between your muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments.
Common Postural Concerns: Anterior Pelvic Tilt & Hyperextended Knees
Anterior Pelvic Tilt
Anterior pelvic tilt happens when your pelvis tips forward — like the front of your hips drop and your lower back arches. Many movement specialists of today believe this can be associated with:
Tight hip flexors
Weak glutes
Underactive abdominal muscles
Research suggests that targeted exercise programs, including Pilates, may help reduce excessive anterior pelvic tilt by strengthening muscles around the pelvis and improving neuromuscular control.
In one study, Pilates intervention exercises over eight weeks reduced anterior pelvic tilt angle in females with excessive tilt.
Source: Sport Sciences and Health Research
Anterior pelvic tilt isn’t inherently “bad,” but when it’s excessive, it can lead to:
Pain and discomfort in the lumbar region
Tension and tightness in hips and glute medius muscles
Difficulty finding neutral alignment
Hyperextended Knees (Genu Recurvatum)
Hyperextension means knee is shifting past a straight line when you stand. Some people even call this a “soft knee” pattern.
This can be caused by a number of things, short stops, sports injuries, awkward landings after a fall, weak muscles around the knee, and even direct blows to the knee.
Emerging evidence suggests that certain Pilates exercises can positively influence lower-limb strength and reduce hyperextended knee angles during walking after an intervention period.
Source: SAGE Journals
This matters because overly extended knees can:
Place stress on joint structures
Alter gait (walking) patterns
Encourage compensations elsewhere in the body, often the feet and hips
How Pilates Helps: The Science Behind the Method
At the core of good posture is core stability, pelvic alignment, and mindful muscular engagement. Pilates was developed with these principles in mind and science supports its effectiveness for posture, spinal alignment, and functional movement.
Pilates focuses on:
Strengthening the Transverse Abdominus
Breath-linked movement
Postural awareness
Spinal and pelvic stabilization
Balance and coordination
Now, according to a systematic review, researchers have proven that participating in Pilates can improve poor body posture by:
Strengthening muscles that influence postural control
Improving spinal, pelvis, and shoulder stability
Symmetry in movement
Balance and body awareness
Even as little as twice a week, Pilates classes at-home or in a private Pilates studio can improve your overall posture according to PMC.
Another study even showed that 30 Pilates sessions over several weeks improved dynamic balance and trunk posture in adult women, suggesting better postural habits and alignment can be achieved with Pilates.
Source: ResearchGate
As much as I would like to believe this as a Pilates teacher, the truth is Pilates is not a magic cure, but it is one of the most evidence-supported methods for cultivating consistent postural improvements.
How Pilates Works with Your Body
Here’s the heart of it: Good posture emerges when your muscles and nervous system learn to work together, not against one another.
Pilates teaches:
Neutral spine awareness
Pelvic positioning
Segmental control of core muscles
Balance of strength and flexibility
This is why most people fall in love with Pilates. The go in thinking they were “just doing a workout” often discovers new alignment, less tension, and better movement habits after a series of Pilates classes.
The breathing work alone teaches you how to recruit deep stabilization muscles with intention — not force like you would use when weight lifting.
Pilates Exercises for Posture, Pelvic Alignment & Knees
Now for the fun part (at least for me)! Here are Pilates movements you can practice right now and cues you can do at home.
1. Pelvic Curl
Supports: Lower back control, core activation, pelvic stabilization
How to do it:
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat.
Inhale to prepare.
Exhale, imprint your lumbar into the mat, and lift your pelvis slowly toward the ceiling.
Articulate one vertebra at a time.
Inhale at the top, then exhale to roll down.
Why it helps: It strengthens your glutes and deep abdominals while encouraging a neutral pelvis.
2. Supine Spine Twist (Modified for Alignment)
Supports: Spinal rotation control, core stability
How to do it:
Sit tall with legs extended.
Extend your arms out to sides.
Inhale to center, exhale twist gently one way.
Inhale center; exhale twist the other way.
Why it helps: This helps integrate rotational stability of the trunk region which is important for balanced posture.
3. Glute Bridge with Posterior Tilt Focus
Supports: Glutes, hamstrings, low back alignment
How to do it:
Start like the pelvic curl.
Squeeze and lift your glutes towards the ceiling.
At the top, focus on a gentle posterior pelvic tilt so your tailbone lifts slightly toward your ribs.
Roll down slowly.
Why it helps: It teaches control of the pelvis with core engagement, countering excessive forward tilt.
4. Leg Pull Front (Plank Variation)
Supports: Core stability, hip alignment, shoulder posture
How to do it:
From a plank on hands or forearms, draw ribs gently in.
Hold neutral pelvis and lift one leg at a time.
Keep breath steady.
Why it helps: This challenges hip and core stability while resisting compensatory patterns that can contribute to poor posture.
5. Hip Flexor Stretch with Awareness
Supports: Reduces tightness that can pull pelvis forward
How to do it:
In a half-kneeling lunge, tilt pelvis posteriorly.
Gently shift forward (without arching low back) until you feel stretch in hip flexors.
Why it helps: Tight hip flexors can encourage forward pelvic tilt, and lengthening them helps with neutral alignment.
Note: All of these can be modified for your level and any aches you’re managing. Let’s work together 1 on 1 to create a Pilates workout plan that helps you feel your best!
Apply for private coaching today.
A Gentle Reassurance
If anything in your posture feels “off,” that doesn’t mean your body is broken.
What it means is you’re aware — and awareness is the first step toward change. Pilates doesn’t judge; it teaches. It doesn’t rush you; it helps you unfold.
Every body is different, and there’s no such thing as “perfect posture.” But when your muscles are strong, coordinated, and balanced, your posture becomes effortless, comfortable, and confident… and that’s something worth practicing.
What the Research Suggests (in Plain Terms)
Pilates can strengthen core muscles and improve postural alignment over time. PMC
It supports dynamic balance and posture habits in adult women. ResearchGate
Targeted Pilates interventions can help reduce excessive anterior pelvic tilt. Sport Sciences and Health Research
Pilates may support coordination of muscular patterns that influence hip and knee alignment, which can help reduce hyperextension tendencies. SAGE Journals
Final Reflection
Your posture isn’t a project to “fix.” It’s a conversation with your body, and Pilates is one of the kindest, most effective languages your body can learn to speak.
Whether you’re just beginning or returning after time away, or if your posture feels “off” or you just want to move with more grace — Pilates is here to meet you where you are.
If you’re curious how to build this posture work into a weekly practice, I’d be honored to help you craft one that fits your life in a gentle, confident way that feels like you.
