Why Do Golfers Get Back Pain?

Lower back pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal problems experienced by golfers. Whether it develops after a single round of golf or gradually builds over weeks and months, lower back pain can significantly affect your swing, consistency and enjoyment of the game.

The golf swing places considerable demands on the muscles, joints and other structures around the lower back. Repeated rotation, bending, extension and loading through the spine can expose areas of the body to high levels of stress, particularly when mobility, strength or movement control are limited.

At Cranbourne Osteopathy, we assess lower back pain in golfers with consideration of both the individual's musculoskeletal health and the specific physical demands of their golf swing. This allows us to look beyond simply treating where the pain is felt and identify factors that may be contributing to the problem.

Why Does Golf Put Stress on the Lower Back?

The golf swing is a complex movement involving almost the entire body. Although the lower back is not responsible for producing all of the movement, it plays an important role in transferring force between the lower and upper body.

During the golf swing, the spine is exposed to combinations of:

• Rotation
• Side bending
• Forward and backward bending
• Compression
• Shear forces
• Rapid changes in movement direction
• Repeated loading over a round or practice session

The lower back therefore needs to have an appropriate combination of mobility, strength, stability and movement control.

Problems can arise when one area of the body is unable to perform its role effectively and another area has to compensate. For example, reduced hip or thoracic spine mobility may result in the lower back (lumbar spine) contributing more movement during the golf swing.

This does not mean that there is necessarily something "wrong" with the spine. Rather, it highlights the importance of considering how the different parts of the body work together during the golf swing.

Common Musculoskeletal Causes of Lower Back Pain in Golfers

There are several musculoskeletal factors that can contribute to lower back pain in golfers. Often, there is not one single cause. A combination of physical factors, training load, swing mechanics and lifestyle can contribute to the development or persistence of symptoms.

1. Limited Hip Mobility

The hips play an important role in creating and controlling rotation during the golf swing.

If hip mobility is restricted, the lower back may be required to contribute more movement to achieve the positions needed throughout the swing.

Because the lumbar spine is designed to provide some rotation but generally less rotational movement than the hips and thoracic spine (upper back), repeatedly asking it to compensate may increase mechanical stress.

Improving hip mobility may therefore be an important part of managing lower back pain in golfers.

2. Reduced Thoracic Spine Mobility

The thoracic spine — the middle portion of the spine — contributes significantly to rotation during the backswing and downswing.

If the thoracic spine is stiff, a golfer may compensate by generating additional movement through the lumbar spine or other areas.

This is one reason why assessing the whole spine can be important when treating a golfer with lower back pain.

Rather than only asking, "Why does my lower back hurt?", at Cranbourne Osteopathy we also consider:

"What demands are being placed on the lower back during their golf swing?"

3. Poor Trunk and Pelvic Control

The muscles surrounding the abdomen, pelvis and lower back help control the position of the trunk during the golf swing.

Golfers don't necessarily need an extremely strong core to play well. Instead, they need to be able to control their trunk and pelvis while producing and transferring force through the swing.

Reduced strength or endurance may become more apparent as fatigue develops throughout a round, particularly for golfers who play frequently or have recently increased their playing or practice volume.

4. Glute and Hip Strength

The gluteal muscles play an important role in generating and transferring force during the golf swing.

If the hips and glutes are not adequately contributing to movement, other areas may be required to compensate.

For some golfers, improving lower-limb and hip strength can help them tolerate the physical demands of golf more effectively and possibly create a more efficient golf swing.

5. Repeated Rotation and Extension

The golf swing involves repeated combinations of spinal rotation and extension.

For some golfers, these movements may reproduce their symptoms or place additional stress on already-irritable tissues.

It is important to note that rotation and extension in your spine are not inherently harmful. Instead a golfer’s back may not be conditioned for the repetitive nature of a game of golf or practice session.

The goal is not to eliminate movement from the golf swing.

Instead, assessment should help determine whether the golfer has the capacity to repeatedly perform the movements required by their swing.

The Bottom Line

You don’t have to be a professional golfer to train like one. Seeing our Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) Certified Osteopath Adam gives you access to the same performance insights and body-first approach used by PGA Tour pros. It’s not just about playing better - it’s about playing longer, stronger and pain-free.

If you’re ready to take your golf game to the next level, start by optimising the one thing you bring to every swing: your body.