Why Does My Lower Back Hurt After Golf? Common Causes and How to Stay on the Course

One of the more interesting findings in golf research has nothing to do with the back directly. A study of 42 professional golfers found that the ones with a history of low back pain had noticeably less inward rotation in their lead hip (the left hip for a right-handed player), along with less ability to bend backward through the low back. Their trail hip looked about the same as everyone else's.

Why would a stiff hip matter for your back? During the downswing, your weight shifts onto that lead hip and your body turns over it. If the hip won't rotate far enough, the motion has to come from somewhere, and the lower spine tends to pick up the slack. Reviewers have described it exactly that way: lead hip restrictions may lead to swing compensations that over-stress the lumbar spine.

A fair caveat: that study showed an association, not proof that the stiff hip caused the pain. And when a 2018 systematic review pooled the research together, it didn't find a consistent link between hip range of motion and golf-related back pain overall. The factors that held up more clearly were a history of previous back pain, older age, and higher body weight in recreational golfers. So hip mobility is worth checking, but it's one clue, not the whole answer, which is why a good evaluation looks at how you move as a whole, not just at the spot that hurts.

None of this means you have to give up golf. Most of the practical advice from the research is pretty manageable:

Dr. Johns plays golf himself, and he was a collegiate athlete in football, weightlifting, and track before an injury of his own led him into chiropractic. He has since worked clinically with professional athletes, so he's used to treating back pain with getting you back to your sport as the goal, not just getting through the week.

When a golfer comes in with back pain, we start by figuring out what's actually going on, including your posture and how you move, rather than just treating the sore spot. A plan might combine chiropractic adjustments, traction where a disc is involved, and physiotherapy exercises to build the strength and endurance that protect your back on the course.

To be straightforward about the evidence: research on spinal manipulation for low back pain generally shows small to modest improvements in pain and function, similar to other recommended treatments, and side effects like temporary soreness or stiffness are common but usually fade within a day. That's why we pair hands-on care with exercise, since the habits above are a big part of keeping the pain from coming back.