Low back pain is the most common ailment that we see among golfers and a big reason for seeing declines in performance over the years. Feeling pain as we play can take us out of the game mentally and make us more cautious when we swing. If this is something you experience, you are not alone and there is a lot that can be done about it.
Causes of Lower Back Pain from Golf
At P4S Golf, we’ve had the privilege of working with and collecting data on thousands of golfers across the world so that we can learn how best to reduce their pains and improve their performance. When we look at a golfer’s lower back pain we can usually simplify it one or both of these common issues:
1. Lack of mobility
2. Lack of stability
Mobility Caused Lower Back Pain
When we have mobility restrictions in one area we will typically compensate by moving another area. Nine times out of ten when it comes to our golf swing the area that compensates is our low back. Compensations can occur when we are not able to get enough rotation from our hips, neck or trunk. If one area of the body can’t fully do its job in the swing, the body will try and make up for it by creating extra movement elsewhere. Slide, sway and rotation in the lumbar spine are common examples of a lower back compensations that we see among golfers. As we bend, shift and rotate to compensate in small ways in our swing over the course of a round the extra force on your lower back begins to add up.
Stability Caused Lower Back Pain
When we lack stability in our lower body, core and/or upper body we see contributions to low back pain as well. If the hips and pelvis are not stable we often see a loss of posture and excess body movement in the swing that places strain on the lower back. Without core stability we see the lower back working overtime to keep you in your golf posture and eventually this lack of support for your lower back can be felt as soreness. The lower back also starts to struggle if you have poor posture in the shoulders and upper back as this will place even more stress on the lower back to hold you in position.
Prioritizing to Get Rid of Lower Back Pain
These are the reasons why we prioritize mobility and stability in our programs. In order to get you playing better we have to get you feeling better and when we’re feeling better we play better. These are the foundations we build off of both to create a more powerful and consistent swing and to ensure that we are experiencing less pain and more enjoyment of the game we love.
If you are having lower back pain that you feel is taking away from your performance and enjoyment of the game, schedule a complimentary call with us today to see if we can help you get back to enjoying the game you love to the fullest!
Author-
Dillon Hines
Golf Performance Coach
Disclaimer: This blog content is for general educational information purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. References available upon request.
