My Back Hurts After Playing Golf
A golf swing twists the body hard, but the low back is not what does the twisting. When the mid back and hips turn less, that share falls to the low back. Golf related back pain usually starts here.
Do not wait for the next round if you have these
- Numbness or dulled sensation in the leg
- Leg weakness, or a foot that drags
- Changes in bladder or bowel control
- Pain that will not settle even lying down
These four are not the same as a sore muscle. The nerves and spine need checking first.
Is it a disc
It is the first worry that comes to mind. Back pain that starts with golf usually comes from load the swing has applied over and over. What separates the causes is whether the pain stays in the back or travels down the leg.
Closer to muscle fatigue
- Broad and heavy across both sides, not one point
- Worst the next morning, easing within two days
- Walking and daily life are unaffected
Swing load building up
- Sharp enough to point to with one finger
- Hurts leaning back, or turning toward your swing side
- Worse standing, easier sitting
- The same spot after every round
Reasons to check for a disc
- Travels below the buttock into the thigh or calf
- Numbness or dulled sensation somewhere
- Worse sitting and bending forward
- A jolt when you cough or sneeze
Many people go straight to an MRI. A disc that bulges on the scan is often not the reason you hurt today, because it shows up just as readily in people with no pain at all. When nothing travels down the leg, examination and movement testing come first. There is more in My MRI is normal, so why does it hurt.
Why the low back and not somewhere else
Trunk rotation is the job of the mid back and the hips. Each lumbar segment turns only a few degrees. When those two cannot supply all the rotation a swing needs, the shortfall goes to the low back.
The mid back is stiff
Sit all day and the mid back stops turning easily. Swing from there and the arms still go back as far as usual, but the mid back does not follow them. The rotation that comes up short gets made up by the low back below it. One swing is fine. Hundreds a day is the problem.
The lead hip will not open
Finishing with your body facing the target means the pelvis has to come around too. For the pelvis to turn, the hip of the front leg, the left one for a right handed golfer, has to rotate inward. Block that and the pelvis stalls while the upper body keeps going, and the low back absorbs the difference.
The backswing axis collapses
If the upper body leans toward the target during the backswing, you arch the low back on the way down to stay balanced. That leaves the back rotating while it is already arched, and force gathers on the joints behind the spine. Swinging bigger for distance makes this shape more likely.
Can I play my next round
If the pain comes back in the same spot on every swing, that round is better postponed. Pain changes the swing, and the changed swing moves the load onto the shoulder or the elbow.
Full rest is not the answer either. If walking and daily life are unaffected, cut down full swings and range volume, stay with half swings, and keep moving. Stop altogether and the mid back and hips only stiffen further. If the date is already booked, an appointment beforehand lets you agree on how hard you can go.
3-Stage Response to Back Pain
Stage 1: We bring the swelling down
Find what is actually reactive and settle the swelling and tension there. This is where Circulation HD is used.
Stage 2: We wake the muscles up
Restore mid back rotation and hip range, and train the glutes to fire on time while the trunk holds. That work happens in Circulation PT.
Stage 3: We make the movement stick
Return through half swings. Swing size grows on whether the mid back and hips are still doing the turning, not on distance.
How We Assess at Yonsei Shinmyung Pain Clinic
Numbness and weakness come first. Then we measure how far the mid back rotates each way and whether the lead hip opens inward, compare the two sides, and move you through positions to find which one reproduces the pain. Before a swing can be fixed, the movements it demands have to exist in the body.
※ Treatment response varies between individuals. Diagnosis and treatment direction are determined after consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Should I stretch before the round or after?
Before the round, warm up while moving. Swing the arms, rotate the trunk side to side, and widen the range gradually. Holding a long static stretch briefly reduces a muscle’s ability to produce force, so save that kind of stretching for after you play.
Q. Does taking a cart put less strain on my back?
Not necessarily. Sitting in the cart lets the mid back and hips stiffen, and then you step out and swing at full speed. That first swing on a cold, stiff body is harder on the back. Unless pain already makes walking difficult, walking is the better option, and if you do ride, rotate your trunk a few times before you hit.
Related Articles
References
Do not put it off until the next round
We measure mid back rotation and hip movement side by side, and map out how to get you back to full swings.
Book OnlineLast reviewed: 2026-08-11