The Biomechanics of a Golf Swing: Where Injuries Begin

The golf swing is a beautiful display of power and grace, but beneath that smooth motion is a complex, high-velocity sequence of movements. It's an athletic feat that places incredible demands on your body. When every part of this sequence works in harmony, the result is a powerful and accurate shot.

But if there's a single weak link in the chain—a tight hip, a weak core, or limited shoulder mobility—your body is forced to compensate. These compensations are the root cause of most golf-related pain and injuries. They rob you of power, destroy your consistency, and can eventually take you off the course altogether.

The Phases of the Golf Swing

Understanding the basic phases of the swing helps you appreciate where things can go wrong. Each phase has a specific purpose, and an error in one creates a cascade of problems in the next.

The Backswing: Coiling the Spring

The backswing is all about creating potential energy. From your setup, you rotate your hips and torso away from the target, coiling your body like a spring. This requires significant mobility in your hips and mid-back (thoracic spine).

If these areas are tight, your body might compensate by swaying off the ball or reverse pivoting, which puts immense strain on your lower back.

The Downswing: Unleashing Power

The downswing is a rapid, sequential unwinding of the body that starts from the ground up. Your hips lead the way, followed by your torso, arms, and finally the club. This sequence creates incredible clubhead speed.

A common error is starting the downswing with your arms and shoulders ("coming over the top"), which leads to a loss of power and can cause shoulder or elbow injuries.

Impact and Follow-Through: Controlled Deceleration

At impact, all the energy you've built is transferred to the ball. Just as important is the follow-through, where your body must safely and efficiently decelerate.

If you have limitations, you might see a "chicken wing" finish where the lead elbow bends awkwardly. This is a classic sign that your body isn't rotating properly, putting the stress directly onto the small joints of the elbow and wrist.

How Flawed Biomechanics Lead to Common Golf Injuries

Pain is your body's signal that a mechanical fault is causing damage. Instead of just treating the symptom, it's crucial to find and fix the underlying cause.

The Lower Back: The Axis of Rotation

Your lower back takes on a massive amount of rotational stress during the swing. However, it's designed more for stability than for high-speed rotation. That job belongs to your hips and thoracic spine.

When you lack mobility in those areas, your lumbar spine is forced to over-rotate, leading to common injuries like:

• Muscle strains

• Disc issues

• Facet joint pain

The Hips and Shoulders: Mobility and Stability Mismatches

Proper golf mechanics require a clear separation between your upper and lower body during the swing. This is only possible with mobile hips and a mobile thoracic spine, paired with stable shoulders and a strong core.

If your hips are tight, your lower back suffers. If your mid-back is stiff, your shoulders are forced into stressful positions, often leading to rotator cuff injuries and impingement.

The Elbow and Wrist: Bearing the Brunt of Impact

While your core and lower body are the engines of the swing, your arms and hands transmit that force to the club. Swing faults like casting or an improper grip place excessive, repetitive strain on the tendons and ligaments in your elbows and wrists.

This is the direct cause of painful conditions like Golfer's Elbow and wrist tendonitis.

Why "Working Through the Pain" is a Losing Strategy

Many golfers adopt a "no pain, no gain" mentality, but this is a dangerous approach to joint and muscle pain. Pain is not a sign of progress; it's a warning signal that something is wrong.

Ignoring this signal and continuing to play allows a minor issue to become a chronic, debilitating condition. Your body will create even more compensations to avoid the pain, leading to further breakdowns in your swing mechanics and potentially new injuries in other areas.

Pushing through pain doesn't just hurt your body—it hurts your scorecard and your enjoyment of the game.

The Role of a TPI Certified Physical Therapist

This is where specialized golf rehab therapy makes all the difference. A Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) Certified Physical Therapist is an expert in the body-swing connection. We don't just look at where it hurts; we perform a comprehensive physical screen to discover why it hurts.

At Back9PT & Performance, our TPI-certified experts will:

• Assess Your Body: We use a series of physical tests to pinpoint your specific limitations in mobility, stability, strength, and balance.

• Analyze Your Swing: We connect your physical limitations directly to the swing faults you're experiencing on the course.

• Develop a Custom Plan: We create a personalized treatment plan with hands-on therapy and corrective exercises to resolve your pain, restore proper mechanics, and improve your performance.

This isn't generic physical therapy. It's a highly specialized approach designed for the unique demands of the golfer's body.

Take Control of Your Swing and Your Health

A powerful, consistent, and pain-free golf swing is not out of reach. It starts with understanding how your body is meant to move and addressing the underlying physical limitations that are holding you back. Don't let pain ruin another round of golf.

If you're ready to fix the root cause of your pain and unlock your true potential, it's time to seek expert guidance. Schedule an assessment with the golf physical therapy specialists at Back9PT & Performance today and build a body that's ready to perform.