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.

At Integrated Rehab and Performance Center in Nashville, our mission is simple: help golfers eliminate pain, restore movement, and unlock their true performance potential. Sometimes, that means golfers travel hundreds—or even thousands—of miles to work with us.

A few weeks ago, we hosted a golfer from Washington, DC who flew in for our 4-day Golf Rehab Intensive Program—7 hours of one-on-one treatment with me, plus 2 hours with a Nashville golf instructor I hand-pick for each intensive patient.

As a golf rehab and performance specialist, I get this question all the time—whether it's from new patients or casual conversations at club events. Should I keep going to StretchLab? The short answer? You probably don’t need to stop going to StretchLab.

But the better questions are:
– Is it actually helping you?
– Could it be doing more harm than good?
– And is there any lasting value in it?

Let’s break it down.

Shoulder and hip labrum tears, meniscus injuries, disc bulges, rotator cuff tears, ACL reconstructions, hip replacements—these are just a few of the past injuries we frequently see in Nashville golfers. And they’re often playing a major role in both ongoing pain and current performance limitations. As mentioned earlier, injuries in one area often leave behind deficits in mobility, stability, or motor control that show up later—sometimes in completely different regions of the body.

Even if you’re no longer in pain, these old injuries can still be the root cause of that recurring swing fault, your “big miss,” or the tightness and discomfort that keeps coming back. At Integrated Rehab and Performance Center, our 5-part comprehensive exam is designed to uncover these hidden connections and identify the true root causes—so we can build a plan that moves you forward.

Is dry needling effective for golfers? The short answer: it absolutely can be. But like chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue work, laser therapy, or even exercise, it’s not about one tool being universally better than the others—except for exercise, which research consistently supports as essential. The real key lies in individual assessment. Each golfer’s pain, mobility limitations, and motor control challenges are unique, and our treatment should reflect that. So, how do we approach this with the golfers we work with in Nashville?

As a golf-focused rehab and performance chiropractor, I’m always looking for ways to bridge the gap between mobility, strength, and performance — without sacrificing injury prevention. One of my favorite drills to prescribe to golfers does exactly that, using a single kettlebell and a carefully designed movement pattern that mimics the demands of the golf swing. This isn’t just another general exercise — it’s a golf-specific movement solution rooted in biomechanics.