Modified Bird Dog
An early, gentle core-stability drill — one limb at a time.
What it helps
An early, gentle way to build core stability one limb at a time, training your trunk to stay steady as you move.
How to do it
- On hands and knees, brace your core to keep your spine still and level.
- Slowly slide one arm forward OR one leg back, keeping your back from sagging or twisting.
- Return and switch sides.
Tips
- Move only as far as you can keep your spine perfectly still.
- Start with just the arms, or just the legs.
Commonly done as 1–2 sets of 8 each side, daily.
Where this appears in recovery
Modified Bird Dog is part of 22 recovery programs, most often at the advanced recovery (months 3–6), early recovery (weeks 2–6) and strength & function (weeks 6–12) stages, among others. Each program shows how it fits alongside the other movements:
- Spinal Cord Stimulator Implant exercise guide
- Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion (LLIF / XLIF / OLIF) exercise guide
- Revision Lumbar Fusion exercise guide
- Lumbar Microdiscectomy exercise guide
- Posterior Spinal Fusion for Scoliosis exercise guide
- Sacroiliac Joint Fusion exercise guide
- Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF) exercise guide
- Anterior Scoliosis Correction exercise guide
- Interspinous Spacer Implant exercise guide
- Lumbar Laminectomy exercise guide
- Adult Spinal Deformity Correction exercise guide
- Thoracic Fusion exercise guide
- …and 10 more
All exercise guides · Condition guides · Recovery education
These are general exercise guides, not a personal prescription. The repetitions and frequency shown are what's commonly used — your own surgeon or therapist may advise something different, and their guidance comes first.