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The Best Exercise Strategy for Golfers With Low Back Pain

Written by Ifije Ohiorhenuan, MD, PhD — Board-Certified Spine Surgeon. Last updated 2026-06-20.

Stretching alone is usually not enough

Many golfers respond to back pain by stretching the low back. That may feel good temporarily, but it often does not solve the underlying problem. Golf-related low back pain is commonly related to a combination of mobility, strength, endurance, swing mechanics, and workload.[1]

That means the exercise plan should be broader than a few back stretches. The source synthesis supports several exercise approaches, including trunk stabilization, lower-extremity strengthening, hip mobility work, golf-specific conditioning, and rehabilitation focused on deep trunk muscles.[2, 3]

Build the base: trunk stabilization

The lumbar spine needs controlled stability during the golf swing. It should not be rigid, but it also should not be the uncontrolled hinge point for the entire swing.

A 6-week program combining trunk stabilization and lower-extremity strength training reduced pain and disability more than golf swing exercises and stretching in amateur golfers with nonspecific low back pain, according to the source synthesis.[4] Other studies and case reports also support rehabilitation focused on the transverse abdominis and multifidus muscles.[5, 6, 7]

In practical terms, this means golfers may benefit from exercises that teach the spine to stay controlled while the arms and legs move. Examples include bird dogs, dead bugs, side planks, anti-rotation presses, and progressive loaded carries.

Strengthen the hips and legs

The golf swing starts from the ground. The legs and hips help generate and absorb force. If the hips are weak or stiff, the low back may compensate.

A good program should often include hip abduction strength, hip rotation control, gluteal strength, lower-extremity balance, and single-leg control. This is especially important for golfers who sway, slide, lose posture, or feel unstable during the swing.

The source synthesis includes evidence that golf-specific exercise programs can improve torso rotational strength, hip abduction strength, flexibility, and performance measures.[8, 9] That is important because the goal is not simply to reduce pain. The goal is to help the golfer return to better, safer play.

Train rotation carefully

Golfers need rotation, but not all rotational exercises are helpful early in rehabilitation. A painful golfer may need to first develop basic trunk control and hip mobility before progressing to faster rotational movements.

A reasonable progression might look like:

  1. Pain control and gentle mobility.

  2. Trunk stabilization and breathing control.

  3. Hip mobility and gluteal strength.

  4. Anti-rotation endurance.

  5. Controlled thoracic and hip rotation.

  6. Medicine ball or cable rotation.

  7. Golf-specific swing progression.

Skipping directly to high-speed rotational power training may worsen symptoms if the golfer lacks the foundation to control it.

Conditioning matters

Golfers often underestimate the physical demands of practice. A golfer may hit far more balls at the range than during a round. If the trunk and hips fatigue, swing mechanics may degrade and the back may absorb more stress.

This is why endurance and workload tolerance are part of rehabilitation. A golfer who wants to play 18 holes, practice twice per week, and compete on weekends needs a body prepared for that total volume.

Physical therapy and swing coaching work best together

One of the strongest practical conclusions from the source synthesis is that back pain in golfers is often best approached from more than one angle. A clinician can evaluate pain generators, mobility deficits, strength, trunk control, and neurologic symptoms. A golf professional can evaluate swing mechanics, sequencing, setup, and follow-through.

The best plan may involve both.

A physical therapist may help the golfer move better and tolerate load. A swing coach may help the golfer stop repeatedly loading the spine in the same painful way. When these efforts are coordinated, the golfer has a better chance of returning to play without simply repeating the same injury cycle.

Be cautious with gadgets and shortcuts

The source synthesis includes some studies of devices, footwear, and modalities. Some showed improvements, but several claims were limited or flagged as uncertain.[10, 11] For patients, the safest interpretation is this: tools may help, but they should not replace a sound rehabilitation plan.

The fundamentals remain trunk control, hip mobility, lower-extremity strength, graded return to play, and swing mechanics.

Bottom line

The best exercise strategy for golfers with low back pain is usually not a single stretch or one magic core exercise. It is a progressive program that improves trunk stabilization, hip and leg strength, rotational control, flexibility, endurance, and golf-specific movement.

For recurrent or persistent pain, a golf-aware physical therapist and a qualified swing coach can be a powerful combination.

References

This guide draws on the following studies and reviews. Much of this literature is observational or abstract-level, so findings are described here as associations rather than proof. The numbered markers in the text show which sources support each point.

  1. Grimshaw P, Giles A, Tong R, et al. Lower back and elbow injuries in golf. Sports Med. 2002;32(10):655-66.
  2. Zemková E, Zapletalová L. Back Problems: Pros and Cons of Core Strengthening Exercises as a Part of Athlete Training. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(10).
  3. Gluck GS, Bendo JA, Spivak JM. The lumbar spine and low back pain in golf: a literature review of swing biomechanics and injury prevention. Spine J. 2008;8(5):778-88.
  4. Kang NY, Im SC, Seo SW, et al. Effects of trunk stabilization and lower extremity strength training on pain, disability, balance and golf performance in amateur golfers with nonspecific low back pain. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2026;39(3):1063-1075.
  5. Parziale JR. Healthy swing: a golf rehabilitation model. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2002;81(7):498-501.
  6. Grimshaw PN, Burden AM. Case report: reduction of low back pain in a professional golfer. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000;32(10):1667-73.
  7. Grathwohl J, Sillevis R. Improving Golf Swing Kinematics in a 78-Year-Old Golfer with Lower Back Pain: A Case Report. Am J Case Rep. 2024;25:e946077.
  8. Lephart SM, Smoliga JM, Myers JB, et al. An eight-week golf-specific exercise program improves physical characteristics, swing mechanics, and golf performance in recreational golfers. J Strength Cond Res. 2007;21(3):860-9.
  9. Thompson CJ, Cobb KM, Blackwell J. Functional training improves club head speed and functional fitness in older golfers. J Strength Cond Res. 2007;21(1):131-7.
  10. Zink-Rückel C, Kohl M, Willert S, et al. Once-Weekly Whole-Body Electromyostimulation Increases Strength, Stability and Body Composition in Amateur Golfers. A Randomized Controlled Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(11).
  11. Nigg BM, Davis E, Lindsay D, et al. The effectiveness of an unstable sandal on low back pain and golf performance. Clin J Sport Med. 2009;19(6):464-70.

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This article is educational and does not replace individualized medical advice. If your back pain is severe, persistent, radiates into the leg, or comes with numbness, weakness, or bowel or bladder changes, seek evaluation from a qualified clinician.