3 Pain Patterns Every Golfer Should Recognize Before They Get Worse
I work with golfers in the Nashville area every single week—from Hillwood Country Club to The Grove and everywhere in-between. Here are some things I see over and over again…
A little pain starts to creep into the swing. At first, it’s easy to brush off. You can still finish 18 holes, maybe it’s just tightness from sitting in the cart too long. But within a few weeks, that “small” issue has turned into something that’s costing you distance, accuracy, and confidence over the ball.
The good news? Most golf injuries start as recognizable patterns. If you catch them early, you can address the cause, not just the symptoms—and avoid missing the rest of the season.
1. Low Back Pain That Spikes After Playing or Practicing
A few weeks ago, I worked with a player from Brentwood Country Club who came in after a long weekend. He said, “I was fine on Thursday, but by Sunday my back locked up and I couldn’t turn.”
This is classic. When hip and mid-back mobility are restricted, the lower back becomes the “extra” rotational joint—and it’s not designed for that kind of workload. Over a long round or multiple days, it simply breaks down. Those goons from the Happy Gilmore movie would not have lasted long!
Common causes I see in golfers:
Limited hip internal rotation
Poor separation between hips and shoulders
Weak glute and core stabilizers
What we do in the clinic:
We assess hip and thoracic spine mobility, use hands-on treatment to free up motion, and build glute strength so the big muscles—not your lower back—handle the rotation.
Check out this lower extremity mobility, strength, and rotation drill I like to use with my patients and clients…
2. Elbow or Forearm Pain That Feels Like “Tendonitis”
One of my patients, a competitive senior player from The Governors Club, came in with pain on the inside of his lead elbow after hitting 100+ balls a day leading up to a tournament.
This pain—often called “golfer’s elbow” or “tennis elbow”—comes from repetitive strain. In golf, it’s usually caused by gripping too tightly, poor lead arm mechanics, or overuse without proper recovery.
Common causes in golfers:
Excess tension in the hands and forearms
Swing path that puts repeated stress on the same tissues
Weakness in wrist and forearm stabilizers
What we do in the clinic:
We work on grip pressure, fine-tune swing mechanics with your teaching pro, and strengthen the wrist/forearm muscles so they can handle repetitive load without breaking down. Further, we want to make sure we take advantage of planing mechanisms like lead side leg vertical forces that help keep us from repeatedly coming in steep on the ball while also creating MORE speed!
Check out this movement here, one of my favorite movements to help improve shoulder and upper extremity stability as a whole, including loading through the elbow joint.
3. Shoulder Pain That Limits Your Backswing
If your backswing feels shorter, stiffer, or painful, it’s often an early sign of shoulder impingement or rotator cuff irritation.
A Franklin-based golfer I saw last month came in saying, “I can’t get my hands past my ear without pinching.” Within minutes, I could see his thoracic spine wasn’t extending well, which forced the shoulder into a compromised position at the top of the swing. The shoulder complex is much more than just the humerous bone and the scapula. It also relies on the motion and shape of the rib cage and even the rotation and extension of the thoracic spine.
Common causes in golfers:
Limited thoracic spine extension
Weak or imbalanced rotator cuff
Poor scapular control during the swing
What we do in the clinic:
We restore thoracic mobility, strengthen the rotator cuff through full range of motion, and train proper shoulder blade movement patterns so the swing feels free again. Check out this movement here, one of my favorite thoracic spine mobility and motor control drivers for late in a treatment plan…
Bottom Line:
Golf pain is not “just part of getting older.” It’s your body telling you something’s not moving—or stabilizing—like it should.
At Integrated Rehab and Performance Center, we specialize in golf-specific rehab and performance for players across Nashville. Whether you’re chasing a club championship or just want to play 36 holes pain-free on a weekend trip, we’ll help you fix the root cause so you can keep swinging your best.
-Dr. Nick Curtis DC, MS, TPI, CSCS
If you would like to learn more about your body, pain, and performance, send Dr. Nick an email at contact@integratedrpc.com or call at (585)478-4379, or schedule a FREE discovery visit at Contact.
Instagram: @Integrated.Rehab.Performance
