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Lower back pain after golf? Why it happens and how to keep playing

Why the lower back takes the strain in the golf swing, what the research says helps, a gentle six-move routine and the signs that mean it is time to see a professional.

10 MIN READ•14 October 2026•EVERGREEN

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Lower back pain after golf usually comes from asking the lower back to twist more than it is built to. The lumbar spine is designed mainly for stability, so when stiff hips and a stiff mid-back stop turning freely, the lower back makes up the difference, swing after swing. A longer warm-up, regular hip and mid-back mobility work, better core endurance and a few simple swing changes help share that load more evenly.

If you feel it, you are in good company. The lower back is the most common injury area across all golf populations, and greater age is linked with golf-related back pain. The encouraging part is that most of what helps is simple, gentle and within your control.

Why does my back hurt after golf?

The golf swing is a fast, one-sided twist, repeated dozens of times a round. Research summarised in a 2014 review in the Asian Journal of Sports Medicine measured compressive loads on the lower spine during a five-iron swing equivalent to about eight times body weight. That does not make golf bad for your back, but it explains why trouble tends to show up there first.

Your lower back is built for stability, not twisting

Each part of the spine has a different job. According to the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI), each of the five lumbar vertebrae rotates only about 2 degrees, roughly 10 degrees in total, while the thoracic spine (your mid and upper back) can rotate around 30 to 35 degrees to each side. Specialists at the Hospital for Special Surgery put it plainly: in a good swing the ankles, hips and upper back do the turning, and the lower back should not.

Stiff hips and a stiff mid-back push the twist downwards

When the hips or upper back lose some of their turn, your body still wants the same shoulder turn, so it borrows rotation from the lumbar spine. A case report in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy notes that reduced lead hip internal rotation (your front hip's ability to turn inwards) has been linked with low back pain in both amateur and professional golfers. It also cites research finding significantly more lumbar rotation and side bending in golfers with less than 20 degrees of passive lead hip internal rotation. The 2014 review adds that golfers with low back pain tended to use more trunk rotation in their swing than they could produce in a clinical test.

This is where age comes in. In a study of 120 adults aged 20 to 60, hip rotation range of motion reduced with age. Many golfers also find their upper back stiffer than it used to be. A 2018 systematic review and meta-analysis in Sports Health found that greater age was significantly associated with golf-related low back pain. So a stiff lower back in the golf swing often means your hips and upper back need attention too.

Other things that add to the load

  • Carrying your bag. In the 2018 meta-analysis, golfers who regularly carried their bag were significantly more likely to have experienced low back pain.
  • Over-turning. The 2014 review suggests golfers with back pain may be over-rotating the spine at the top of the backswing and at the finish.
  • A previous bad back. In novice recreational golfers followed over time, those with previous back pain had a relative risk of 9.8 for a new episode (Sports Health, 2018). If you have had back trouble before, prevention matters more.

How common is lower back pain after golf?

Very common. Here is what the larger reviews report.

What was studied Finding Source
58 studies covering 10,437 golfers of all levels The lower back was the most common injury area across all golf populations Garrett et al., 2024
Published golf injury studies Low back conditions make up about 25% of golf injuries, with reported rates from 18.2% to 54% Lindsay and Vandervoort, 2014
Recreational golfers 12.4% to 26.9% reported golf-related low back pain Smith et al., 2018
Professional golfers 40.0% to 58.1% reported golf-related low back pain Smith et al., 2018

The authors are careful to say the studies vary in quality, but the message is consistent: the lower back is golf's most common trouble spot, and for most club golfers it is manageable rather than a reason to stop.

How to prevent back pain in golf

The aim is to share the work of the swing more evenly, so the lower back stops doing a job meant for the hips and upper back.

Warm up for more than ten minutes

This is the simplest change with the clearest evidence. In research cited by the 2014 review, golfers who warmed up for more than 10 minutes before playing had less than half the injuries per player of those who warmed up for less. Try a brisk walk, slow trunk turns with a club across your shoulders, then half swings with a wedge before building up to longer clubs.

Free up your hips and mid-back

Since stiff hips and a stiff upper back push rotation into the lower back, it makes sense to loosen them. In a 2023 randomised crossover trial of 22 amateur golfers, gains in lead hip internal rotation after foam rolling and stretching went with less rotation in the lower lumbar spine during the swing. It was a small study, but a promising one. Our guide to hip mobility exercises for golf goes into the hips in more detail.

Build core endurance, not just strength

Your core's job in golf is to hold a steady posture under load for a full round, not to lift something heavy once. The 2014 review notes that golfers with low back pain appear to have less trunk muscle endurance, and a 2024 systematic review identified lower-limb and trunk strength endurance as injury risk factors in recreational golfers. Slow, controlled holds such as the bird dog and bridge below suit this well.

Make small changes to a bad back golf swing

You do not need a new swing. A few adjustments, talked through with your club professional, can take pressure off.

  • Shorten the backswing. Research cited in the 2014 review found that restricting the backswing by almost 20% had no negative effect on swing performance.
  • Let your lead heel lift. The older "classic" swing let the lead heel rise in the backswing so the hips could turn more, which reduces the twist between hips and shoulders. A 2005 literature review reports lower rotational forces on the low back with the classic swing, while noting that direct comparison studies were lacking.
  • Finish tall and balanced. Rather than a hard, arched finish, rotate through to a relaxed, upright position.

If you are worried about losing distance, our guide on how to increase swing speed for seniors looks at other ways to keep clubhead speed up.

Push your clubs rather than carry them

The 2014 review suggests golfers with back pain consider other ways of moving their clubs, such as a push trolley (push cart). It also notes that sitting in a buggy over rough ground would likely increase compression on the spine and removes the warm-up benefit of walking. Walking with a trolley gives you the best of both.

Golf back pain exercises: a gentle routine

These six moves target the hips, the mid-back and the deep core. You need only a mat or carpet, a chair and a wall. Move within comfort throughout: a gentle stretch is fine, but sharp or spreading pain is a signal to stop. Moves 2 and 4 are adapted from the Hospital for Special Surgery's back stretches for golfers. The whole routine takes about 10 minutes.

  1. Cat and camel. Kneel on all fours, hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Breathe out and slowly round your back towards the ceiling, then breathe in and let your chest ease down and forward. Keep it small and smooth. Do 8 slow repetitions. Chair option: sit tall with hands on knees and make the same rounding and lengthening movement.
  2. Side-lying open book. Lie on your left side with your knees bent up to hip height, a pillow under your head and both arms straight out in front. Keeping your knees together, lift your top arm and turn your chest towards the ceiling, letting the arm open towards the floor behind you as far as is comfortable. Follow your hand with your eyes, pause for 3 breaths, then return. Do 8 on each side.
  3. Seated hip rotations. Sit tall near the front of a chair, feet flat and hip-width apart. Keeping your knee still, slowly swing one foot outwards (this turns the hip inwards), then back in past the start, without forcing the end range. Do 10 on each side.
  4. Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch. Kneel on one knee on a cushion, other foot flat in front, with a chair or wall beside you for balance. Gently tuck your tailbone under, squeeze the buttock of the back leg and ease your hips forward until you feel a stretch at the front of that hip. Hold 20 to 30 seconds, twice on each side. Standing option: take a long split stance holding a wall and do the same tuck and squeeze.
  5. Bird dog. On all fours, gently brace your stomach as if about to cough. Slide one leg back and the opposite arm forward until both are roughly level with your body. Hold for 5 seconds without letting your hips rock, then return. Do 5 to 6 on each side. Easier option: slide only the leg back, or do it standing with your hands on a wall.
  6. Glute bridge. Lie on your back, knees bent and feet flat. Squeeze your buttocks and lift your hips until there is a straight line from shoulders to knees, without arching your lower back. Hold for 3 seconds, then lower slowly. Do 8 to 10. Chair option: slow sit-to-stands from a firm chair, 8 to 10 repetitions.

Done most days, this short sequence is a practical answer to a stiff lower back in the golf swing. For more ideas, see our golf stretches for seniors.

Golf back pain relief: the evening after a round

A little care after you play can stop a niggle turning into a stiff week. The NHS advice on back pain is a sensible guide.

  • Keep moving gently. A short, easy walk beats slumping on the sofa. The NHS advises staying active and avoiding long periods in bed.
  • Heat for stiffness, ice for swelling. The NHS notes that heat packs can ease stiffness or muscle spasms, and ice packs can reduce pain and swelling. Wrap either in a tea towel.
  • Repeat two gentle moves. A few rounds of cat and camel and the open book before bed help the back settle.
  • Check before reaching for painkillers. The NHS says anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen may help, and that paracetamol on its own is not recommended for back pain. Ask a pharmacist first, particularly if you take other medicines.
  • Make a note. Rate your stiffness from 0 to 10 the next morning. Over a few weeks, patterns appear, such as after carrying or skipping the warm-up.

When to see a professional

Most golf-related back soreness settles with time and gentle movement, and the NHS says back pain usually improves within a few weeks. See your GP, doctor or a physiotherapist promptly if:

  • it has not improved after a few weeks, or it stops you doing everyday things
  • pain spreads down a leg, or you have numbness or tingling
  • it is worse at night, or does not ease with rest
  • you have lost weight without trying
  • it began after a fall

Get urgent help (999 or A&E in the UK, 911 or the emergency room in the US) if back pain comes with numbness, tingling or weakness in both legs, loss of feeling around your genitals or bottom, changes in bladder or bowel control, chest pain, or if it started after a serious accident. For any senior golfer with back pain that keeps returning, a physiotherapist and your club professional working together is a sound route back to comfortable golf.

Turning this into a daily habit

The common thread in all of this is little and often. Evergreen, coming soon to iPhone, turns that idea into a 10-minute daily mobility routine. A short in-app assessment asks where you feel stiff or sore (hips, mid-back or shoulders), how often you play and what you want from your game, then builds equipment-free sessions shown as illustrated, step-by-step demonstrations with a timer. A simple stiffness check-in lets you see whether things are easing. You can read more about how Evergreen builds your daily plan.

This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have back pain that worries you, or that is not settling, speak to your GP, doctor or a physiotherapist.

Sources

Common questions

Is it normal for your lower back to hurt after golf?
Mild stiffness or soreness after a round is common, and the lower back is the most frequently injured area in golf. It usually reflects the twisting load of the swing, especially if your hips or upper back are stiff. Soreness that eases within a day or two with gentle movement is usually nothing to worry about. Pain that lingers, spreads down a leg or comes with numbness should be checked by a doctor or physiotherapist.
Should I stop playing golf if my back hurts?
Not necessarily. Most golfers with a sore back can keep playing with some changes, such as a longer warm-up, a shorter backswing, pushing a trolley rather than carrying and doing regular hip and mid-back mobility work. If pain is sharp, getting worse or stops you doing everyday things, rest from golf and see a GP or physiotherapist before returning, ideally with a plan for a gradual build-up.
Is heat or ice better for a sore back after golf?
Both can help, for different reasons. Heat tends to suit stiffness and muscle spasm, so a warm shower or a wrapped heat pack in the evening can ease a tight lower back. Ice tends to suit pain and swelling, for example after a sudden twinge. Always wrap either in a towel to protect your skin. If you are unsure which suits you, a physiotherapist or pharmacist can advise.
Can a shorter backswing help a bad back?
For many golfers, yes. A shorter backswing reduces how far the spine has to twist at the top, and research suggests a moderately shorter backswing need not cost swing performance. Letting your lead heel lift slightly in the backswing can also help the hips turn so the lower back does less. It is worth working through changes like these with a club professional so your timing stays smooth.
Is it better to walk or ride in a buggy with a bad back?
Walking with a push trolley is usually the kindest option. Carrying your bag has been linked with more low back pain, while sitting in a buggy over bumpy ground can jolt the spine and removes the natural warm-up that walking gives you between shots. If you need a buggy for other reasons, get out and walk where you can and keep moving between holes.
What exercises help lower back pain from golf?
The most useful exercises usually target the areas around the lower back rather than the lower back itself. Gentle mid-back rotations such as the open book, along with hip rotations and hip flexor stretches, help the hips and upper back take their share of the turn. Core endurance moves such as the bird dog and glute bridge help you hold a steady posture. Move within comfort and stop if anything causes sharp pain.

Evergreen

Make it a 10-minute daily habit.

Evergreen builds a personal mobility routine around where you feel stiff, how often you play and what you want from your game. No equipment, just a chair and a wall.

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