Why do i get Lower Back Pain when i play golf?

Lower back pain is very common among golfers of all ages and levels. In fact, up to 70% of all golfers experience back pain.    There a multiple reasons why you may be predisposed to, or are currently experiencing lower back pain with your golf.  Amateur golfers tend to have inferior swing mechanics when compared to professional golfers.  Therefore when poor swing mechanics are involved the lumbar spine is often vulnerable to generating greater lateral bending and shearing loads.  You may recognize these faults as sways, slides and loss of your spine angle during your golf swing.  These forces have been shown to be up to 80% greater in amateurs when compared with professionals!

Poor posture is another common cause of lower back pain in golf.  Often golfers address the ball with either too much arch (extension) in their lower back, or too much flexion.  Because the golf swing is in a forward flexed posture and is rotational and dynamic, there are potentially much greater forces generated in the muscles, joints and discs in the lower back and when posture is poor.  Poor golfing posture is most often an adaptation related to lifestyle.  It is common to see sedentary, office bound workers develop rounded shoulders and backs from long periods of sitting at work desks in poor postures.  This is more often than not reflected in there golf posture as well as the body looses its flexibility and ability to maintain a normal posture.

If you are experiencing back pain while you golf it is important that you see a golf physiotherapist, who will be able to assess your lower back, as well as your golf swing biomechanics to identify why you are getting back pain while you are playing golf.

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