Low Back Pain: The Most Common Golf Injury—and How Physical Therapy Keeps You Swinging Strong in Miami
Ask any amateur on the tee box at Crandon Park or Miami Beach Golf Club what hurts most after 18 holes and you’ll hear the same answer: their lower back. Golf demands rapid, high-velocity rotation repeated hundreds of times per round—often on bodies that sit at desks all week. Without the right mobility, stability, and motor control, the spine takes a beating that even perfect clubs can’t fix.
Below you’ll learn
the six specific lumbar injuries golfers suffer most,
the swing faults that create those injuries, and
how targeted physical therapy at ASR Sports Medicine in Miami and Miami Beach eliminates pain while adding effortless yards to your drive.
The Six Most Frequent Low-Back Golf Injuries
Muscle Sprains & Strains -
What It Is - Micro-tears in lumbar paraspinals, QL, or hip rotators.
Red-Flag Symptoms on the Course - Sudden grab when you finish the swing; soreness bending to tee the ball.
Facet Syndrome -
What It Is - Inflammation of small joints that guide spinal motion.
Red-Flag Symptoms on the Course - Sharp pain in the follow-through; worse with extension or side-bend.
Disc Pathology (herniated / bulging discs) -
What It Is - Nucleus pushes through annulus, irritating nerves.
Red-Flag Symptoms on the Course - Radiating pain into glutes or leg, “catch” getting out of cart.
Spinal Stenosis -
What It Is - Narrowing of spinal canal or foramina.
Red-Flag Symptoms on the Course - Cramping after walking the fairway; relief when bending forward.
Degenerative Disc Disease -
What It Is - Disc height loss, reduced shock absorption.
Red-Flag Symptoms on the Course - Stiffness on first tee, limited rotation late in the round.
Spondylolisthesis -
What It Is - Forward slippage of one vertebra on another.
Red-Flag Symptoms on the Course - Achy back + hamstring tightness; worse with prolonged standing.
Pro Tip: Pain that lingers more than 10–14 days, shoots below the knee, or causes numbness is your cue to schedule a PT evaluation instead of “playing through.”
Swing Mechanics That Sabotage Your Spine
1. Reverse Spine Angle (a.k.a. the “C-shape” backswing)
Excessive thoracic extension and left-side bend load the trailing facet joints and discs.
Physical Therapy Focus: Thoracic rotation drills, right-hip internal-rotation mobilizations, anti-extension core stability.
2. S-Posture at Address
Anterior pelvic tilt plus rounded upper back short-circuits the kinetic chain and pre-loads lumbar extensor muscles.
Causes & Corrections:
Limited hip extension ➜ half-kneeling hip flexor stretch
Weak glutes ➜ bridge progression
Poor lumbar control ➜ pelvic tilt training in golf stance
3. Excessive X-Factor (Uncontrolled Separation)
Huge gap between shoulder turn and hip turn looks powerful but spikes shear forces on the L4-L5 segment.
PT Fix: Teach dissociation with dead-bug variations and controlled half-kneeling cable rotations.
4. Excessive Side Bend Through Impact
Lateral flexion to the trail side during downswing jams facet joints.
PT Fix: Improve left-sided hip IR, teach left-oblique activation, and groove side-bend limits with mirror drills.
5. Early Extension
Hips thrust toward the ball; spine hyper-extends to keep from topping the shot.
PT Fix: Deep-squat patterning, hip-rotation mobility, resisted step-throughs for posterior-chain power.
6. Hanging Back
Weight never shifts to lead foot; spine compensates with late extension.
PT Fix: Lateral weight-transfer drills, split-stance cable chops, neuromuscular re-education for glute activation.
How Physical Therapy at ASR Sports Medicine Tackles Golf Back Pain
Comprehensive Movement & Swing Assessment
TPI™ Mobility Screen – Identifies joint-by-joint restrictions that dictate swing faults.
High-speed Video Analysis – Quantifies spine angles, hip rotation, and sequencing.
Force-plate Testing – Measures weight transfer and ground-reaction timing.
Individualized Mobility + Strength Programs
Our doctors of physical therapy design 4-week micro-cycles that blend:
Thoracic rotation mobilizations (open-books, windmills)
Hip internal/external rotation drills (90/90 switches, hip airplanes)
Anti-extension core work (plank walkouts, Pallof presses)
Eccentric lumbar control (Jefferson curl progressions)
Manual Therapy & Dry Needling
Joint mobilization, instrument-assisted soft-tissue work, and dry needling calm hyper-tonic paraspinals and restore segmental mobility—often producing instant pre-round relief.
Core Sequencing & Motor-Control Training
Using biofeedback and Tour-proven drills, we retrain you to fire glutes ➜ trunk ➜ arms in the proper order, protecting the lumbar spine while boosting club-head speed.
Collaborative Swing Retraining
We liaise with your PGA teaching pro, sharing mobility data and suggested swing cues so mechanical tweaks stick long-term.
Evidence-Based Exercises Every Golfer with Low Back Pain Should Master
Perform each exercise 2–3 days per week after a dynamic warm-up.
Cat–Camel (10 reps) – Lubricates lumbar facets, primes flex-extend range.
Half-Kneeling Thoracic Rotation (10 each) – Couples hip stability with upper-spine mobility.
90/90 Hip Rotations (10 each) – Unlocks internal rotation for a deeper backswing.
Dead Bug with Band Pulldown (12 each) – Anti-extension core activation mirrors transition phase.
Hip Airplane (8 each) – Builds single-leg hip control to prevent hanging back.
Pelvic Tilt to Neutral in Golf Posture (15) – Grooves the neutral spine you need at address.
Always pain-free, always form-first. Stop if symptoms worsen.
When to See a Physical Therapist Instead of Your Teaching Pro
Back pain persists > 2 weeks despite rest
Pain radiates into glute, thigh, or calf
You need NSAIDs just to finish 9 holes
You’ve tried lessons and gear changes without relief
You want a preseason screen to prevent injury
Early evaluation limits downtime and protects your long-term spinal health.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I need a doctor’s prescription for physical therapy in Florida?
A: No. Florida’s direct-access law lets you start PT evaluation immediately; we’ll refer you to an MD if imaging is needed.
Q: How many PT sessions does it take to reduce golf back pain?
A: Most golfers feel measurable relief in 3–5 visits and complete a full corrective program in 6–8 weeks.
Q: Will physical therapy improve my golf performance or just treat pain?
A: Both. Restoring hip and thoracic mobility plus core sequencing routinely adds 10–20 yards to drives.
Q: Do you use the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) approach?
A: Yes—our clinicians hold TPI certifications and integrate those screens into every golf evaluation.
Why Miami Golfers Trust ASR Sports Medicine
✅ Golf-specific rehab & performance programs
✅ TPI-certified physical therapists in Miami Beach & Brickell
✅ Seamless collaboration with local PGA teaching pros
Whether you’re rehabbing a herniated disc or chasing a single-digit handicap, we’ll help you move better, swing stronger, and stay pain-free year-round.
Ready to Tee Off Without Pain?
Book your Golf Physical Therapy Evaluation today and feel the difference on your very next round.
Call [📞 (305) 984 - 1155] or schedule online to claim your first session.