Golf is often seen as a low-impact sport, but the physical demands of the swing are significant. Every swing needs a precise sequence of movement through the feet, legs, hips, spine, shoulders, arms and wrists to generate power, control and consistency.
When Golf Can Lead to Injury
During a single swing, the body creates significant force, transfers that energy through the kinetic chain, then rapidly decelerates. This combination of rotation, acceleration and deceleration places repeated stress on muscles, joints and connective tissue, particularly through the lower back, hips, shoulders, elbows and wrists.
Over an 18-hole round, that demand repeats dozens of times, often alongside several kilometres of walking, prolonged standing and extra practice swings. When mobility, strength, balance or movement control are limited, the body compensates by loading other areas, which is exactly where pain and injury start.
Golf injuries are rarely caused by one bad swing. Most develop when the physical demands of the game exceed what the body can currently tolerate and recover from.
At Melbourne Golf Physio, we take a golf-specific approach to assessment and rehabilitation. Understanding how your body actually moves, and why it's compensating, lets us address the underlying cause rather than just the symptom, so you recover, perform better and stay on the course.
Common Golf Injuries We Treat
Golf-related injuries can affect almost any part of the body, though the lower back, shoulders, elbows, hips and knees are the most common. Every assessment combines detailed movement analysis, evidence-based rehabilitation and a treatment plan built around your specific injury and goals.
Lower Back Pain & Golf-Related Back Injuries
Lower back pain and lumbar stiffness are among the most common problems affecting golfers, often linked to restricted hip rotation or thoracic mobility forcing the lower back to compensate through the swing. We assess spinal movement, hip mobility, strength and swing-specific load to identify why symptoms are occurring, then build a rehabilitation plan to restore function and reduce the chance of it coming back.
Knee Pain & Lower Limb Injuries
Your lower body is the foundation for balance, stability and power throughout the swing. We treat knee pain including ligament injuries, meniscal injuries, osteoarthritis, sporting injuries and post-operative rehabilitation, guided by current evidence and focused on restoring strength and confidence in your movement.
Foot, Ankle & Plantar Fasciitis
The feet and ankles provide stability through the swing and while walking the course, and plantar fasciitis is a common source of persistent foot pain among golfers who walk 18 holes regularly. We treat ankle sprains, tendon injuries, plantar fasciitis, general foot pain and post-operative conditions to restore movement and get you back on course comfortably.
Hip Pain & Mobility Restrictions
Efficient hip rotation is essential for weight transfer and generating power through the swing. We assess hip mobility, strength and control to treat hip pain, stiffness and restrictions affecting both your golf and everyday movement.
Shoulder Pain & Rotator Cuff Injuries
The shoulder generates and controls power throughout the swing, which makes it vulnerable to overuse and instability. We treat frozen shoulder, rotator cuff injuries, tendon irritation, impingement, instability and post-operative shoulder conditions through rehabilitation designed to restore strength, movement and confidence in your swing.
Golfer's Elbow & Elbow Pain
Repeated gripping and impact loading during the swing can lead to golfer's elbow, tennis elbow and other tendon-related elbow pain. We treat the underlying strength, mobility and movement factors contributing to the condition, not just the point of pain, so recovery holds.
Neck Pain & Headaches
Many golfers spend long hours at a desk before heading to the course, and that prolonged sitting combined with the rotational demands of the swing can drive neck pain and stiffness. We identify the underlying cause of your symptoms and build a rehabilitation plan to restore movement and reduce pain at work, on the course and in everyday life.
Wrist & Hand Injuries
Grip, club control and clubhead speed all rely on the wrist and hand. We treat wrist pain, tendon injuries, fractures, ligament injuries, arthritis and overuse conditions to restore strength, mobility and function.
Post-Operative Rehab
Recovering after surgery needs a structured, progressive plan, not a generic one. We work alongside your surgical team to restore movement, rebuild strength and guide a safe return to golf, sport and everyday activity.
Persistent Pain & Complex Musculoskeletal Conditions
Some conditions need a deeper understanding of how the nervous system, movement patterns and previous injuries are influencing your current symptoms. We provide comprehensive assessment and personalised rehabilitation for complex musculoskeletal presentations that haven't responded to standard treatment.
Sporting Injuries
From golfers to rotational athletes and active individuals generally, we provide physiotherapy for acute injuries, overuse conditions and return-to-sport rehabilitation, every program built around your goals, your activity demands and your pathway back to performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the most common golf injury?
Lower back pain is the most frequently reported golf injury, largely due to the repeated rotational load the swing places on the lumbar spine, especially when hip or thoracic mobility is restricted.
Can golf cause plantar fasciitis?
Yes. The combination of walking long distances on the course, footwear choice, and the weight-transfer demands of the swing can contribute to plantar fasciitis, particularly in golfers who play or walk frequently.
Do I need to stop playing golf if I have an injury?
Not always. Depending on the injury, a modified approach to play combined with targeted rehabilitation is often more effective than stopping entirely, and can help you return to full play sooner.
Do you treat injuries that aren't related to golf?
Yes. While golf-specific rehabilitation is our clinical focus, we treat the full range of musculoskeletal conditions, including sporting injuries, post-operative rehabilitation and general pain unrelated to golf.
Book Your Golf Injury Assessment
If pain or stiffness is affecting your swing or your enjoyment of the game, book an assessment and find out exactly what's driving it.