Spring Back in Action
Overcoming Back Pain to Keep Your Golf Season Injury-Free
As golfers return to the course and tee times begin to fill up, we see the same pattern every spring. After a quieter winter, enthusiasm often returns faster than the body does — and that’s when stiffness or pain in the back, hips, shoulders or elbows starts to creep in.
Golf may look gentle, but the swing is a powerful, repetitive movement that places significant demand on the body. When joints are tight or movement is restricted, strain is often shifted elsewhere — and over time, that’s how injuries develop. Add in the demands of carrying golf bags, pushing or pulling trolleys, and managing uneven ground, slopes and changing underfoot conditions, and it becomes clear why discomfort can appear in almost any joint along the chain, particularly early in the season.
Where Golfers Most Often Run Into Trouble
From what we see in clinic, the most common problem areas include:
Lower back — often overworking when hip movement is limited
Hips and knees — affected by repeated rotation, loading and walking demands
Shoulders — particularly the lead shoulder through impact and follow-through
Elbows — commonly irritated by gripping and repetition
These issues rarely come from one bad swing. More often, they build quietly over the first few weeks of the season.
“If you only do one thing before you tee off this season, make it the Cram Osteopaths Easy Eight.”
The One Exercise Golfers Should Actually Do — and It Takes Less Than a Minute
Let’s be realistic — most golfers are not running through long warm-up routines before a round. That’s why we recommend just one simple movement that fits easily into real golfing life.
The Cram Osteopaths Easy Eight
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart
Hold your driver with one hand on the grip and the other near the club head
Lock your arms straight out in front of you
Slowly draw a large figure of eight in the air — smooth, controlled and comfortable
Allow your neck and eyes to follow the movement
Complete eight slow repetitions
This gentle movement warms up the entire spine, improves shoulder and hip mobility, encourages relaxed rotation, and reduces the risk of early-round twinges.
Patient Success Story — Back to 18 Holes After Back Pain
Stuart, a keen recreational golfer, came to Cram Osteopaths after over three months of persistent lower-back pain that had stopped him completing a full round. He was also managing an underlying knee cartilage issue, which made walking hilly sections and pushing his trolley increasingly uncomfortable.
Assessment showed stiffness through his hips and upper back, meaning his lower spine — and knee — were absorbing too much strain.
We put together a structured six-week treatment plan, including spinal and hip mobilisation, gentle manipulation techniques, and radial shockwave therapy for his knee. He was also shown how to prepare properly before playing using the Cram Osteopaths Easy Eight.
Within two weeks, Stuart was back playing shorter rounds comfortably. By the end of treatment, he was playing 18 holes pain-free, walking the course confidently and enjoying his golf again.
Keep Your Golf Season Injury-Free
If stiffness or back pain is already affecting your golf, don’t wait for it to dictate your season. A golf-specific pre-season assessment can identify early restrictions and help you move more freely before problems build.
Book early. Move better. Enjoy your golf from the first tee to the final putt.
Joanna Cram MBE
M.Ost Med DO ND
