The spine plays a central role in both golf swing performance and injury prevention. For golfers, the spine is responsible for maintaining posture, creating and controlling rotation, transferring force between the lower and upper body, and moving through multiple ranges of motion at high speed. A healthy golf swing doesn’t rely on rotation alone—the spine must flex, extend, and rotate in precise combinations while staying stable in space. When spinal mobility or control is limited, golfers often compensate through the hips, shoulders, or lower back, leading to swing inefficiencies, inconsistency, and pain. As a chiropractor working with golfers in Brentwood and the greater Nashville area, I routinely see how spinal restrictions impact both performance and longevity. In this article, we’ll break down the specific demands the golf swing places on the spine, walk through simple self-tests to assess your mobility and stability, and share targeted movements and exercises to help you improve spinal function, reduce compensation, and swing more efficiently.

In this article, I want to share a conversation I recently had with a Nashville golfer I’ve been working with. Like many dedicated players, his goal wasn’t just to play pain-free—it was to build the most efficient, repeatable, and powerful swing possible while managing the tightness and minor aches that seem to resurface season after season.

We’ve all heard this swing cue before: “Serve the tray” at the top of your backswing. Like a waiter carrying a tray, the trail arm is lifted to about 90 degrees with roughly 90 degrees of elbow bend, the wrist extended, and the palm facing the sky.

This drill is commonly used to help golfers organize the trail shoulder—specifically the relationship between the elbow and the torso, and the amount of external rotation at the shoulder. When done well, it can create a strong, repeatable top-of-backswing position.

The problem? For many golfers, this position is difficult—or uncomfortable—to achieve. Limitations in shoulder mobility, poor joint stability, or both often force compensations just to “get into position.” When that happens, issues tend to show up later in the swing, especially during the transition and downswing.

The golf swing places complex demands on the spine, requiring coordinated flexion, extension, rotation, and side bend—all at high speed and under load. When spinal mobility or control is limited, golfers often experience pain, stiffness, or a loss of performance. This is where chiropractic care can play a powerful role.

At Integrated Rehab and Performance Center, we use chiropractic techniques with Nashville golfers not only to reduce golf- and exercise-related spine pain, but to restore the specific spinal mobility required for an efficient, repeatable golf swing. The key question is not if an adjustment helps—but where, why, and how it fits into a long-term plan that creates lasting change on and off the course.

Hip extension is one of the most important—yet commonly limited—movements in the golf swing. For golfers dealing with hip pain, low back pain, early extension, posture loss, or reduced power, limited hip extension is often a key missing link.

From a golf rehab and performance standpoint, hip extension plays a major role in maintaining posture, producing force from the ground, and sequencing the swing efficiently. Let’s break down what hip extension is, why it matters for golfers, and how to improve it.

The foot is often the most overlooked piece of the golf performance puzzle, yet it plays a critical role in how force is created, transferred, and controlled throughout the swing. Without adequate mobility at the ankle, rotation through the tibia, and the ability to pronate and supinate at the foot, the body is forced to find motion elsewhere—often at the knee, hip, or low back—leading to compensations, inefficiency, and injury.

Looking back at all the treatment plans in 2025, I want to discuss the number one or best drill we used with Nashville golfers. Whether we were working on low back pain, hip pain, knee pain, or precisely attacking pelvis, hip, and low back mobility, this move proved effective. The number one most utilized move for Nashville golfers in 2025 was the hip shift and swivel.

2025 was a standout year at Integrated Rehab and Performance Center. We helped countless Nashville golfers return to the course with less pain, better mobility, and more confidence in their swing. Now, as we look ahead to 2026, it’s worth asking: What did we learn this year that can set YOU up for even better results next season?

Here are the three key areas to focus on this offseason:

1. Eliminate pain—fully and finally

2. Set clear strength and conditioning goals

3. Identify your swing breakdowns and build a plan to fix them

When it comes to frontal-plane control—your side-to-side stability in the golf swing—it’s become unmistakably clear how essential this quality is. Yes, transferring force laterally is critical for generating speed, but your ability to control and resist that same force is what keeps your swing efficient. Without that control, speed leaks out, contact becomes inconsistent, and ball striking suffers.

This 2025 retrospective breaks down the most common injuries and movement limitations seen in Nashville golfers this year—low back pain, shoulder pain, and knee pain—and explains the key functional patterns behind them. It highlights why movement quality must come before pain treatment, how surrounding joints influence injury, and how Integrated Rehab and Performance Center continues to elevate golf rehab and performance through comprehensive, movement-based care.

Discover what separates top Brentwood Country Club golfers from the rest. Dr. Nick, a golf rehab and performance chiropractor, shares key insights from the 2025 Club Championship — including how better turn, mobility, and sequencing can improve your swing and lower your scores.

The body-swing connection is where rehab and performance truly intersect. By understanding how your movement quality, joint function, and physical limitations influence your swing—and how your swing mechanics may, in turn, contribute to pain—we can create a plan that’s both precise and effective.

At Integrated Rehab and Performance Center, our goal isn’t to change your golf swing; it’s to give your body the capability and freedom to make those changes possible. By removing the physical barriers that hold you back, we help you and your coach build a more powerful, efficient, and pain-free swing that lasts.

This is what makes our approach different — we don’t just treat symptoms, we connect the links between your body and your swing to help you perform and feel your best on and off the course.

Static stretching might feel good, but it doesn’t make you more powerful, more mobile, or less painful. In fact, it can actually decrease your speed and force output — two things every golfer needs.

Real improvement comes from mobility training that builds strength and control through range, not just pulling on “tight” muscles.

If you’re struggling with pain, stiffness, or loss of rotation in your swing, it’s time to rethink your approach. Stretch less. Train smarter. Move better. Play better.

For many golfers, the challenge isn’t simply getting better—it’s getting better while dealing with pain. How do you continue chasing improved performance—longer drives, better swing mechanics, and more consistent practice—when chronic pain or a recent injury seems to hold you back?

Many athletes, active adults, and even golfers are often told they struggle to properly “activate” their glute muscles. This issue shows up not only in the gym but also on the golf course. Thanks to modern data collection from the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI), we now know that strong and active glutes are critical for generating speed and power in the golf swing, while also playing a key role in sequencing and controlling the pelvis and hips. The question is: if you struggle to find or engage this crucial muscle group, how can you test your ability to use them—and what specific movements can help you build true connection, strength, and activation?

The real question here is this: how do you play your best when faced with uneven stances and sloped lies?

As anyone who has played at Richland Country Club knows, it’s a very hilly course. Props to all the members who walk it—it’s no small task. But the bigger challenge is this: when good shots leave us with uneven lies and uneven feet, how can we still approach the ball with confidence and play our best?

The answer lies in two key physical traits:

1. Mastering the weight shift

2. Improving lower extremity strength

The hips are the true engine of the golf swing—responsible for both power and longevity. When they’re limited by capsule tightness, poor pelvic positioning, or faulty muscle activation, the entire swing breaks down, often leading to pain and inconsistency. On the other hand, when the hips move freely and generate force efficiently, they unlock distance, control, and a swing that holds up for years to come.

That’s why addressing hip health is never optional—it’s essential. Whether you’re already experiencing pain or simply want to prevent issues before they start, improving hip mobility, posture, and motor control should be a cornerstone of your training. Start applying the strategies outlined above, and you’ll not only play better golf—you’ll play it longer, stronger, and pain-free.

Torque is the engine behind both effortless power and long-term durability in the golf swing. The best players in the world know how to use the ground to generate torque through the pelvis, allowing the trunk, arms, and club to move in sequence with maximum speed and minimal stress. When golfers skip this step and rely too heavily on the spine, trunk, or shoulders, performance suffers and injury risk skyrockets.

By learning how to apply ground reaction forces correctly—and training drills that reinforce this skill—you can unlock more clubhead speed, greater consistency, and a pain-free swing that lasts for years to come. The difference between struggling with compensations and thriving with effortless speed often comes down to how you create torque. Train it right, and your game will thank you.

When it comes to assessing the body, there are hundreds of possible tests for range of motion, stability, and motor control. At Integrated Rehab and Performance Center, our comprehensive evaluation for golfers includes the most impactful ones: the SFMA (Selective Functional Movement Assessment), the TPI physical screen, a joint-by-joint passive mobility and biomechanics screen, special orthopedic tests for your specific concerns, and of course, a golf swing analysis.

Struggling with tightness, loss of posture, or inconsistency in your golf swing? The Titleist Performance Institute’s lat length test reveals hidden mobility and stability issues that limit your backswing, reduce power, and increase your risk of injury. Learn why this simple test is a game-changer for golfers who want to play pain-free, improve performance, and unlock their full swing potential.