While humans naturally possess greater concentration than horses , the visual sensory input (where our eyes are focused) involuntarily affects our head placement.  Likewise, the placement of our heads affects our pelvic placement, lower back alignment and overall posture.  Observe people casually moving through life:  those whose necks stick out (forward head posture) tend to pitch forward at the hips.

 

This is called the pelvo-ocular reflex: “the neuromotor response of the pelvic girdle and lower extremity, which serves to orient the body region in response to head position and anticipatory visual cues,” as defined by the National Academy of Sports Medicine. If your head is placed too far front (think of your chin jutting forward), your pelvis will tilt anteriorly to balance your center of gravity. This leads to lumbar extension and potential lower back pain.

 

Pilates helps bring awareness to head placement, neck tension, and spinal movements. Your eyes are important, too. Many Pilates students tend to look down in concentration, leading to an unintentional drop in the chin and slouch through the shoulders. Besides shifting the posture of the upper body, this downward focus changes the orientation of the pelvis. Pilates students also frequently look sideways to the mirror to check their position – but this rotation for a quick peek can change the benefits of the Pilates exercise.

 

Three Tips for Keeping Your Pelvo-Ocular Reflex In Check:

 

1.      Trust your instructor to be your eyes. Pilates on Fifth Instructors are highly trained to watch your exercises with a focus on detail. Especially in private Pilates sessions, let them observe your posture rather than shifting out of position to check the mirror.

 

2.      For Pilates exercises in the plank position, be aware that your neck remains lengthened from the spine rather than dropping the head with gravity.

 

3.      Be cautious of jutting your chin forward in standing Pilates exercises to avoid arching the lower back. This awareness of the relationship between your head and your pelvis while practicing Pilates is one of the many ways to improve your posture and lower back pain.

 

For example, in supine exercises, don't look up and lift your chin too high, bringing the cervical spine into extension.

 

Supine Proper

 

Supine Improper

 

In prone exercises, don't further extend the cervical spine to increase range of motion... your neck and lower back will thank you in the long run.

 

Prone Proper

 

Prone Improper

 

As mentioned above, in the plank position, keep your neck lengthened from the spine rather than dropping the head with gravity.

 

Plank Proper

 

Plank Improper

 

Our two cents worth!

 

As we did our own research for this blog and our team did as well, we were marveling at the fact that every article we found spoke solely about the HEAD placement as opposed to the eyes, yet it's called the "pelvo-ocular reflex"..... We not-so-humbly think that the better name might be the "pelvo-cervical reflex", as that speaks to what is really going on, which is if your cervical spine moves into extension, then your pelvis will tip anteriorly. For some, that might happen with the eyes lifting, and others with the eyes dropping. Regardless, if you keep your eyes level and don't stick your neck out (literally, not figuratively), the result will be both better posture and better placement for your pelvis in all of your activities.