Sports & performance
Golf Chiropractor in Perth's Northern Suburbs
Golf-related back pain is usually a rotation problem wearing a back pain costume. If the hips and upper back will not turn, the lower back turns instead — several hundred times a round, at speed.
Why does my lower back hurt after golf?
Most commonly because rotation is coming from the lumbar spine rather than being shared with the hips and thoracic spine. The golf swing demands a lot of rotation at speed, and when the hips or upper back are restricted the lower back absorbs it. Assessment at Northern Beaches Chiropractic in Currambine measures rotation at each of those areas before assuming the back is the problem.
What the swing asks for
A golf swing is a rotational movement delivered at high speed, and it is repeated far more often than people count. Eighteen holes plus a warm-up bucket is a few hundred rotations under load, most of them at close to maximum effort.
That rotation is supposed to be shared. The hips supply a large part of it, the thoracic spine supplies more, and the lumbar spine contributes comparatively little by design — it is not built to rotate far.
When hip internal rotation is limited on the lead side, or the upper back has stiffened up from a working week at a desk, the lumbar spine ends up making up the shortfall. It usually copes for a while, and then it does not.
The other loads are less dramatic but they add up: bending to tee up and read putts, carrying or pushing a bag over five kilometres, and neck rotation held through the swing and follow-through.
Where people commonly feel it
These are the areas that come up most with golf. Each links through to a fuller explanation of that presentation.
Lower back
The most common golf complaint. Usually about where the rotation is coming from rather than damage.
Hips
Restricted rotation on either side changes the swing and pushes load elsewhere.
Neck
Held rotation through the swing, often on top of a week of desk work.
Shoulders
Lead shoulder in the backswing and follow-through, particularly with high practice volume.
Rotational stiffness
The underlying limiter behind most of the above. Worth measuring rather than assuming.
How we approach it
Assessment measures rotation at the hips, the thoracic spine and the lumbar spine separately, so we can see where it is actually coming from. That single piece of information changes most golf-related plans.
Then the painful area itself, and how it responds to the movements and positions the swing demands.
Treatment usually combines hands-on work to open up the restricted region with loaded rotational work so the new range gets used and kept. Range that is never loaded tends to be gone by the weekend.
Who you will see
Someone who has done the training, not just read about it
Dr Corey Williams spent more than ten years in CrossFit, strength and conditioning — coaching, programming and competing — before and alongside chiropractic. He holds a double bachelor qualification in chiropractic from Murdoch University and is advanced dry needling certified.
He has also spent time around AFL and elite sporting environments, where return to play is decided on criteria rather than optimism. That shapes how these plans are built.
It also means a conversation about golf starts at what the activity actually demands, rather than at a diagram.
- Double bachelor, Murdoch University
- Advanced dry needling certified
- 10+ years strength & conditioning
- Experience in elite sporting environments
Getting back on the course
You rarely need to stop playing entirely. More often it is a matter of reducing range volume for a fortnight, warming up properly before the first tee, and doing two or three specific things during the week.
Rebuilding your swing is usually unnecessary and occasionally counterproductive. If the restriction is physical, changing the swing to work around it treats the symptom.
If you are heading into a club season or a trip, say so — it changes what is worth prioritising now versus after.
What care may involve
Getting to the clinic
The clinic is at 1244 Marmion Avenue in Currambine, opposite Milky Lane, a short drive from Joondalup, Currambine, Ocean Reef and the surrounding northern suburbs.
Frequently asked questions
Should I change my swing if my back hurts?
Not as a first step. If restricted hip or thoracic rotation is forcing the lower back to compensate, changing the swing works around the problem rather than addressing it. Measure the rotation first, then decide.
Can I keep playing while I get treatment?
Usually yes, often with a reduced practice volume for a couple of weeks. Complete rest is rarely necessary and tends to leave you stiffer when you come back.
Is golf bad for your back?
No. Golf is a rotational sport played at speed, so it demands rotational capacity — but it is not inherently harmful. People who have the range and the strength to meet the demand generally play comfortably for decades.
Do you do swing analysis?
Assessment here is physical rather than technical — what your hips, spine and shoulders can and cannot do. That often explains a swing fault, and it complements coaching rather than replacing it.
Last reviewed by Dr Corey Williams, Chiropractor. General information, not individual health advice.
Training through something?
Book an assessment at the Currambine clinic and get a plan that keeps you moving.