The Standing Bird Dog: An Easy Way to Ease Low Back Pain

Low back pain can keep you from enjoying everyday activities and can even change how you feel day to day. Many people live with discomfort that limits movement and makes even simple tasks hard to do. Research shows that low back pain becomes more common as people age, and it affects a large number of adults. Knowing that you are not alone in facing this pain may bring a small bit of relief, but living with persistent discomfort can still weigh you down.

It is not unusual for pain to return time after time, leaving you to deal with it longer than you would like. Studies reveal that many people suffer for 30 days or more every year, with some continuing to feel pain for years afterward. The constant presence of discomfort may make it tough to feel confident in your movement and lead to a loss of strength in the muscles that support your lower back.

A sound way to help ease low back pain is by strengthening your core muscles. One exercise that has shown promise is the standing bird dog. This move works the muscles around the hip and lower back while letting you keep your balance in a single-leg stance. Research on the standing bird dog has shown that it can improve core strength and stability. When your muscles are stronger, your back has more support during daily activities.

I very often prescribe the bird-dog exercise for my patients, but there are times when it's not convenient or practical for a patient to get on their hands and knees. One patient, June, an 82-year-old retired librarian, finds it hard to assume the traditional position. Instead, she performs the standing bird dog and has experienced relief from low back pain while holding her adjustments. Another patient, Aiden, a 20-year-old engineer, modified the exercise to fit his busy schedule. He uses the standing bird dog before his golfing matches and says that the exercise helps him feel steadier and maintain the benefits of his adjustment.

This move can become an important part of your daily routine if low back pain slows you down. With a few minutes of practice each day, you may notice an improvement in your core strength and stability, giving you more ease with every step. Consider talking to your chiropractor in Cranston, RI, about adding the standing bird dog to your exercise plan. A small change in how you move might bring you closer to the active life you deserve.

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Hestbaek L, Leboeuf-Yde C, Engberg M, Lauritzen T, Bruun NH, Manniche C. The course of low back pain in a general population. Results from a 5-year prospective study. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2003 May;26(4):213-9. doi: 10.1016/s0161-4754(03)00006-x. PMID: 12750654.

Losavio R, Contemori S, Bartoli S, Dieni CV, Panichi R, Biscarini A. Electromyographic and Stabilometric Analysis of the Static and Dynamic "Standing Bird Dog" Exercise. Sports (Basel). 2023 Jun 16;11(6):119. doi: 10.3390/sports11060119. PMID: 37368569; PMCID: PMC10305076.