Shoulder Pain In Nashville Golfers
Shoulder pain is not uncommon in active adults, especially active adults that are consistently playing golf. Exercise, sport history, and restrictions and compensations in the golf swing can all create or lead to shoulder pain. When working through and creating a treatment plan specific for Nashville golfers, we consider these aspects while paying specific attention to local and global movement restrictions that are influencing the golf swing. When the golf swing creates pain, we need to make sure we address WHY the stress and pressure is being placed on these structures to the point of injury.
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Human movement is human movement
It is critical first to appreciate the consistencies or truths of human movement at these joints in this region. Yes, the shoulder joint is the location of the pain, but the shoulder joint true works together with the scapula, rib cage, thoracic spine, and joints of the distal upper extremity to create movement and forces. If the structures surround the shoulder and included in this complex are not moving well or creatin and absorbing forces appropriately, then we are subject to overload and eventually injury at these joints, including the shoulder joint.
For this reason, we should appreciate that golfer or not, there are movement patterns and mobility standards that we need to maintain healthy movement. A thorough evaluation will reveal if these mobility standards are present and further if they are working together to create appropriate movement.
Golf mechanics related to pain, and pain related to golf mechanics
Once we better understand these qualities and if they are present or not, then we can evaluate if these restrictions present are affecting the golf swing. A comprehensive look at the body combined with a thorough golf swing evaluation tells us where (or why) stress is being placed on the joint. Further, we can decipher here why you may be stuck in a cycle of repeating swing characteristics. Now, we have a cycle of pain altering movement (including poor swing mechanics) creating more pain.
To summarize, when shoulder pain is present, we first need to understand where your movement is restricted or altered at the shoulder and beyond. We then need to understand how the pain and movement restrictions are creating a change to your golf swing and possibly re-enforcing pain and damage creating swing mechanics.
Example of shoulder pain related to scapular stability
We had a case of a Governors club golfer suffering from shoulder pain for about 6 months. He had passed through the system starting with the Medical Doctors advice of injections and worked with the recommended physical therapist. The problem here, as we see and explained well in our previous article, “3 things medical doctors, physical therapists, and chiropractors get wrong with Nashville golfers” is that the shoulder pain was the only thing “treated”. Imaging was done of the shoulder and found inflammation of the rotator cuff, while injections into the shoulder was recommended and physical therapy only worked on shoulder strength and mobility. The problem did not get better and that was because what we found was a significant amount of scapular stability missing along with thoracic spine extension and rotation restriction.
We had overload of the infraspinatus tendon creating a tendinosis because the shoulder we attempting to pull into excessive external rotation in the backswing. It did this without stability of the shoulder blade creating a vulnerable position for these structures and eventual injury. Missing thoracic spine rotation and mobility created the need or desire to pull excess movement from the shoulder to gain more runway and fake backswing positions his teaching professional wanted him to get into. From the naked eye, it appeared his swing was improved because he was able to get into a better backswing position, but what he and his pro did not know was his thoracic spine could not turn enough to get him there and his shoulder was taking excessive forces because of it.
Addressing the injured tissue AND the movement restrictions around the joint made all the difference here. We achieved a pain free shoulder after sleep, exercise, and golf after 2 months of care. Be on the lookout for him at the fall member-guest…
Conclusion
Shoulder pain in golfers is rarely just a shoulder problem. While the painful tissue certainly deserves attention, lasting relief comes from identifying and correcting the movement patterns that overloaded the shoulder in the first place. Restrictions in the thoracic spine, poor scapular control, limitations at the rib cage, or compensations elsewhere in the body can all force the shoulder to do more than it was designed to handle during the golf swing.
At Integrated Rehab and Performance Center, our goal is not simply to calm pain—it is to understand why the pain developed and create a plan that restores efficient movement throughout the entire body. By combining a comprehensive physical evaluation with detailed golf swing analysis, we can identify the true source of excessive stress, treat the injured tissue, and help you build a swing that is both more powerful and more durable.
If you're a Nashville golfer dealing with shoulder pain, don't settle for treatments that only focus on where it hurts. Find the reason the shoulder is being overloaded, address the movement restrictions creating the problem, and you'll not only recover faster—you'll have the opportunity to play better golf for years to come.
-Dr. Nick 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.
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