Staying Healthy During Golf Season: Injury Prevention Tips, Warm-Ups, and the Best Exercises for Better Performance

Kathy Ryan-Ceisel, PT MHS | Algonquin Sports PT

Overhead Throwing Expert-Athletic Edge and Wellness

Golf may look like a low-impact sport, but the golf swing generates tremendous

rotational forces throughout the spine and the  body. Repetitive swings, long practice sessions, carrying clubs, walking uneven terrain, and limited mobility can lead to pain and injury over the course of a season.

Research suggests that more than half of golfers will experience a musculoskeletal injury during their lifetime, with the lower back being the most common site of injury.

The good news? Most golf injuries are preventable with the right combination of mobility, strength training, proper warm-up routines, and early intervention.

Common Golf Injuries and Where They Occur

🏥Low Back Pain

The lower back is the most frequently injured area in golfers.

Common causes include:

• Limited hip mobility

• Poor thoracic spine rotation

• Weak core muscles

• Excessive practice volume

• Swing mechanics that overload the lumbar spine

Common symptoms:

• Pain during follow-through

• Morning stiffness

• Pain after multiple rounds

• Reduced ability to rotate

💪Golfer's Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis)

Pain develops along the inside of the elbow due to repetitive gripping and forceful wrist flexion.

Common causes include:

• Excessive practice

• Hitting off hard surfaces

• Poor grip mechanics

• Limited shoulder mobility

Symptoms:

• Tenderness on the inside of the elbow

• Pain with gripping

• Weakness during the downswing

🖐️Wrist and Hand Injuries

The wrists absorb significant forces at impact, especially when golfers hit the ground before the ball.

Common conditions:

• Tendinitis

• Wrist sprains

• TFCC irritation

• Thumb pain

Symptoms:

• Pain after fat shots

• Decreased grip strength

• Swelling or clicking

🦾Shoulder Pain

The lead shoulder experiences high forces during the follow-through phase.

Common conditions:

• Rotator cuff tendinopathy

• Shoulder impingement

• Labral irritation

Symptoms:

• Pain at the top of the backswing

• Loss of range of motion

• Weakness during practice sessions

🦵Hip and Knee Pain

Limited hip mobility often shifts rotational stress to the knees and lower back.

Common symptoms:

• Groin pain

• Stiffness after walking 18 holes

• Knee discomfort during weight transfer

⛳Why Golfers Get Injured

Most golf injuries result from overuse rather than a single traumatic event.

Common risk factors include:

• Poor warm-up habits

• Sudden increases in practice volume

• Limited mobility

• Muscle imbalances

• Poor swing mechanics

• Inadequate recovery

• Playing through pain

Your body works as a kinetic chain. Restrictions in one area often create excessive stress somewhere else.

For example:

• Limited hip mobility increases lumbar spine stress.

• Limited thoracic rotation increases shoulder and elbow stress.

• Weak gluteal muscles increase knee and back loading.

A Quick 10-12 Minute Golf Warm-Up

Skip the static stretching before your round. Research shows dynamic warm-ups are more effective for improving performance.

1. March in place with arm swings

2. Hip - open up the gate

3. World's Greatest Stretch

4. Thoracic Spine rotation with the golf club

5. Walking lunges with rotation

6. Glute bridges

7. Leg swings, front to back and side to side

8. Shoulder cross-body swings

9. Wrist rolls with the club

10. Five gradual practice swings, increasing speed each time

Start your first few shots with wedges before progressing to longer clubs.

🆒A Simple 10 Minute Cool-Down

Recovery starts as soon as your round ends.

Spend 30 seconds on each stretch and repeat 2-3x.

• 3-5 minutes of walking at an easy pace

• Hip flexor stretch

• Hamstring stretch

• Thoracic rotation stretch

• Chest stretch

• Forearm flexor and extensor stretching

• Deep diaphragmatic breathing

Hydrate, refuel with protein and carbohydrates, and avoid sitting for prolonged periods immediately after your round.

🧎Top 10 Exercises to Improve Golf Performance

Perform these exercises 2-3 times per week.

1. Dead Bugs

Build core stability while protecting the lower back.

2. Pallof Press

Develop anti-rotation strength essential for efficient power transfer.

3. Side Planks

Improve lateral core stability and endurance.

4. Glute Bridges or Hip Thrusts

Enhance power generation from the lower body.

5. Split Squats

Develop single-leg strength and improve weight transfer.

6. Lateral Band Walks

Activate the gluteus medius for improved pelvic control.

7. Thoracic Open Books

Increase rotational mobility in the mid-back.

8. Half-Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

Improve hip extension and reduce lumbar compensation.

9. Cat-Camel

Targets low back mobility and tightness.

10. Farmer's Carries

Improve grip strength, posture, and trunk stability.

🏌️Injury Prevention Tips for Golf Season

• Increase practice volume gradually.

• Avoid hitting large buckets of balls after long layoffs.

• Strength train at least twice weekly.

• Prioritize hip and thoracic mobility.

• Stay hydrated during rounds.

• Wear supportive footwear.

• Use a push cart instead of carrying your bag when possible.

• Get adequate sleep and recovery.

• Rotate practice activities instead of hitting drivers exclusively.

• Never ignore pain that changes your swing.

Pain is not a normal part of golf.

Early intervention prevents minor issues from becoming season-ending injuries.

⚡How Physical Therapy Can Help Golfers

Physical therapy addresses the root cause of pain rather than simply treating

symptoms.

A golf-specific physical therapy assessment may include:

• Mobility testing

• Strength testing

• Balance assessment

• Movement screening

Physical therapy can help you:

• Reduce pain

• Restore mobility

• Improve power production

• Enhance swing efficiency

• Return to play safely

• Prevent future injuries

Golf-specific rehabilitation focuses on optimizing the entire kinetic chain.

❓When Should You See a Physical Therapist?

Schedule an evaluation if you experience:

• Pain lasting longer than 7-10 days

• Sharper type pain with movement

• Pain that worsens during or after golf

• Loss of swing speed or distance

• Reduced mobility

• Night pain

• Persistent stiffness

• Recurrent injuries

• Numbness or tingling

• Changes in your swing because of discomfort

The earlier you address symptoms, the faster you can return to playing your best golf.

🏅Stay in the Game All Season Long

Golf should not hurt ! The combination of proper warm-ups, mobility work, strength training, smart workload management, and early treatment can help you play more rounds with less pain.

If you're struggling with back pain, elbow discomfort, shoulder stiffness, or a loss of performance, a golf-specific movement assessment can identify the underlying problem and create a personalized plan to keep you healthy all season.  

If pain is keeping you off the course, our team at Athletic Edge and Wellness specializes in helping active adults move better, perform better and help you return to pain-free golfing.

📱Contact us today at 224-505-3343 to schedule your evaluation. Check out our Golf Physical Therapy Page here!