The 5 Most Common Golf Injuries and How to Prevent Them

Golf may not seem like a high-impact sport, but the repetitive nature of the golf swing places significant demands on the body. Rotating through the hips and spine, controlling the club, and repeatedly swinging can put stress on the muscles and joints—especially when golfers suddenly increase their playing or practice time.

Whether you're a weekend golfer or play several times a week, understanding the most common golf injuries can help you recognize symptoms early and reduce the risk of being sidelined.

At Physical Edge Physiotherapy in Oakville, Ontario, our physiotherapists can help golfers recover from injuries, improve their movement and strength, and develop a plan to safely return to the course.

1. Low Back Pain

Low back pain is one of the most common injuries experienced by golfers.

The golf swing requires significant rotation through the spine, while the lower back must help transfer force between the upper and lower body. Repeated swings, poor mobility, weakness, or suddenly playing more golf than usual can contribute to back pain.

You may notice pain:

• During or after your swing

• When bending or twisting

• After spending several hours on the course

• The day after playing

• When getting in and out of a golf cart or picking up your ball

How Physiotherapy Can Help

A physiotherapist can assess your spine, hips, core strength, and movement patterns to determine what may be contributing to your symptoms.

Treatment may include:

• Core strengthening

• Hip mobility exercises

• Thoracic spine mobility

• Glute strengthening

• Golf-specific movement exercises

• Swing-related movement assessment

• Advice on modifying your training or playing schedule

Improving mobility and strength throughout the body can help reduce the amount of stress placed on the lower back during the golf swing.

2. Golfer's Elbow

Despite its name, golfer's elbow doesn't only affect golfers.

Golfer's elbow, or medial elbow tendinopathy, causes pain around the inside of the elbow. Repetitive gripping and swinging can place stress on the tendons that attach to this area.

Common symptoms include:

• Pain on the inside of the elbow

• Pain while gripping the club

• Discomfort during the swing

• Reduced grip strength

• Pain when lifting or carrying objects

  
  

How Physiotherapy Can Help

Treatment typically focuses on gradually improving the strength and tolerance of the muscles and tendons around the elbow.

Your physiotherapist may prescribe:

• Forearm strengthening

• Grip exercises

• Wrist strengthening

• Shoulder and upper-body strengthening

• Mobility exercises

• Gradual return to golf

Your physiotherapist can also help identify changes to your training or practice routine that may be placing excessive stress on your elbow.

3. Tennis Elbow

Tennis elbow is another common elbow problem that can affect golfers.

Unlike golfer's elbow, tennis elbow causes pain on the outside of the elbow. Repeated gripping and wrist movements can irritate the tendons in this area.

You may experience pain when:

• Gripping your golf club

• Carrying your golf bag

• Hitting repeated shots at the driving range

• Opening jars or turning door handles

• Lifting objects

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How Physiotherapy Can Help

Physiotherapy can help improve the strength and capacity of the muscles and tendons around the elbow.

Treatment may include progressive wrist and forearm strengthening, grip exercises, manual therapy when appropriate, and modifications to your golf and practice schedule.

It is important to gradually build your tolerance rather than simply resting the elbow and returning to the same workload.

4. Shoulder Injuries

The golf swing requires your shoulders to move through a large range of motion while controlling the club at high speeds.

Repeated practice and play can contribute to shoulder pain, rotator cuff problems, and other overuse injuries.

Golfers may experience pain when:

• Reaching overhead

• Taking the club into the backswing

• Following through

• Carrying their golf bag

• Sleeping on the affected shoulder

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How Physiotherapy Can Help

A physiotherapist can assess your shoulder strength, mobility, and movement.

Your rehabilitation program may include:

• Rotator cuff strengthening

• Shoulder blade exercises

• Upper-back strengthening

• Mobility exercises

• Core and trunk strengthening

• Golf-specific exercises

Improving shoulder function can help you tolerate the repetitive demands of the golf swing and other activities on the course.

5. Hip and Knee Pain

The hips and knees play an important role in generating and transferring force during the golf swing.

Limited hip mobility or weakness can affect how you rotate through the swing and may increase the demands placed on other areas of the body.

Golfers may also develop knee pain from repetitive rotation, walking long distances on the course, or underlying joint problems.

How Physiotherapy Can Help

Your physiotherapist can assess your hip and knee mobility, strength, balance, and movement patterns.

Treatment may include:

• Hip mobility exercises

• Glute strengthening

• Single-leg exercises

• Balance training

• Quadriceps and hamstring strengthening

• Golf-specific movement exercises

Improving lower-body strength and mobility can help you move more efficiently throughout your golf swing and around the course.

How Can Golfers Prevent Injuries?

You don't have to wait until you're injured to start working on your golf fitness.

A few simple strategies can help prepare your body for the demands of golf.

Warm Up Before You Play

A proper warm-up can prepare your muscles and joints for the golf swing. Instead of immediately hitting your driver at full speed, start with some light movement and dynamic exercises before gradually increasing the intensity of your swings.

A good golf warm-up can include:

• Brisk walking

• Hip mobility

• Thoracic rotation

• Lunges

• Squats

• Shoulder mobility

• Gradual practice swings

  
  

Build Strength

Strength training can help your body handle the repetitive demands of golf.

Focus on your:

• Core

• Glutes

• Legs

• Upper back

• Shoulders

• Forearms

You don't need to be a professional golfer to benefit from golf-specific strength training.

Increase Your Golf Volume Gradually

Going from playing once a week to playing four rounds plus multiple driving-range sessions can be a significant increase in workload.

Give your body time to adapt when increasing how often or how much you play.

Work on Mobility

Good mobility through the hips and upper back is important for the rotational demands of the golf swing.

If you're lacking mobility in one area, your body may compensate by placing additional stress on another area.

When Should You See a Physiotherapist?

You don't have to wait until an injury completely stops you from playing.

Consider seeing a physiotherapist if you have:

• Persistent pain during or after golf

• Pain that is getting progressively worse

• Reduced strength or mobility

• Pain that is affecting your golf swing

• Repeated injuries

• Difficulty returning to golf after an injury

A physiotherapist can help identify the factors contributing to your symptoms and create a rehabilitation or injury-prevention plan based on your goals.

Stay on the Course

Golf injuries can be frustrating, especially when you're looking forward to spending the season on the course. Fortunately, many golf-related injuries can be managed with the right combination of strength, mobility, training adjustments, and physiotherapy.

At Physical Edge Physiotherapy in Oakville, Ontario, we work with golfers to treat injuries, improve physical performance, and help them return to the activities they enjoy.

Whether you're dealing with back pain, elbow pain, shoulder pain, or a lower-body injury, a physiotherapy assessment can help you understand what's contributing to your symptoms and what you can do about it.

Don't let an injury keep you off the course. Book a physiotherapy assessment at Physical Edge Physiotherapy and get back to playing the game you love.