Bird Dog Exercise for Back Pain
Shared by Dr. Justin Thompson
One of the goals of our Chiropractic care in East Dallas is to restore healthy movement, but keeping those improvements often requires strengthening the muscles that support the spine. The bird dog is a simple exercise that helps reinforce spinal stability and long-term back health. Core stability exercises like the bird dog are designed to strengthen the deep muscles that support and stabilize the spine. While many people think of the “core” as the abdominal muscles you see on the surface, the most important stabilizers are actually deeper muscles such as the multifidus, transverse abdominis, and spinal stabilizers that help maintain proper spinal alignment during movement. When these muscles are weak or poorly coordinated, the spine may experience excessive motion or instability, which can contribute to irritation of joints, discs, and surrounding tissues. The bird dog exercise is a simple but highly effective movement that trains the body to maintain spinal stability while the arms and legs move, reinforcing proper neuromuscular control and coordination.
Randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that stabilization-based exercise programs that target these deep core muscles can significantly improve pain and function in individuals with chronic low back pain. In one randomized trial, researchers compared spinal stabilization exercises—including movements like the bird dog—to general exercise programs and found that stabilization training resulted in greater improvements in pain and disability outcomes. These exercises help retrain the nervous system to activate the spine’s natural stabilizers, improving movement control and reducing excessive strain on spinal structures. Over time, strengthening these stabilizing muscles can help support healthier movement patterns during everyday activities such as bending, lifting, and walking.
Research Referenced
Koumantakis, G., et al. (2005). Trunk muscle stabilization training plus general exercise versus general exercise only: Randomized controlled trial. Physical Therapy.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15733049/
Our Message
When you are looking for a Chiropractor near you that you can trust, choose one who will not only get rid of your back pain, neck pain, or headaches but who will also guide you to living a healthier lifestyle to keep you out of pain. Our East Dallas Chiropractors located in Lakewood, near the corner of Mockingbird Ln. and Abrams Rd., are here to teach you that taking care of your mental health and getting the proper nutrients are just as important as the chiropractic adjustment to stay healthy.
