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5 Common Golf Swing Mechanics That Cause Injury (And How To Fix Them)

Updated: Mar 3


Male golfer hitting the golf ball with his driver and demonstrating excessive sidebend, which can lead to increased risk for injury

Understanding the Biomechanics of Your Golf Swing


Did you know that the human body is composed of 206 bones, 600 muscles, 900 ligaments, and over 7 trillion nerves? That's a lot of neuromusculoskeletal components working together during your golf swing! Even more impressive, your body orchestrates stability and mobility amongst all of these components while timing speed, force, and direction of the golf club in under 3 seconds.


Indeed, we are moving masterpieces (even if we can't always strike the ball with center face contact!).





What Normal Movement Should Look Like


Normal physical movement should be fluid, pain-free, without restraint, and symmetrical. We adopt movement patterns to carry out specific tasks based on our physical limitations—we're only as strong as our weakest link.


When movement patterns become abnormal due to physical limitations:

  • Our body compensates in ways that create wear on certain segments

  • This wear accumulates over time, leading to injury and pain

  • Your golf swing mechanics follow the same principle


Swing mechanics are largely controlled by the availability of movement within your musculoskeletal system. Limitations lead to poor mechanics, which ultimately lead to injury and pain—what we call injury-inducing mechanics.





The Top 5 Injury-Inducing Golf Swing Mechanics


1. Reverse Spine Angle


At the top of a proper backswing, your spine should be neutral or minimally extended. With reverse spine angle, golfers tilt their head and spine toward the target, creating increased spinal extension. This forces you to move your spine more during the downswing, leading to excessive wear and an eventual golf injury.


Common causes:

  • Thoracic spine mobility restrictions

  • Hip mobility limitations

  • Shoulder mobility issues

  • Poor core control





2. S-Posture


Your spine has primary and secondary curves that, when properly balanced, allow it to withstand significant loads efficiently. S-posture occurs when you have excessive lumbar lordosis (low back curve) at setup, which deactivates crucial abdominal and glute muscles.


Common causes:

  • Lumbar and thoracic spine mobility restrictions

  • Hip mobility limitations

  • Trunk extension weakness

  • Poor glute strength

  • Limited abdominal strength





3. Early Extension


Early extension happens when your hips move closer to the ball during the backswing or downswing. This places increased stress on spinal facets when coupled with extension (backswing) or on lumbar discs when coupled with flexion (downswing).


Common causes:

  • Hip mobility restrictions

  • Thoracic spine limitations

  • Lumbar spine mobility issues

  • Shoulder restrictions

  • Poor abdominal control

  • Trunk extension weakness





4. Excessive Spine Rotation


Normal separation between your upper and lower body at the top of the backswing is around 45 degrees. When rotational separation exceeds this, your risk of low back injury increases significantly.


Common causes:

  • Hip rotation mobility restrictions

  • Lumbar spine flexion motor control deficits






5. Excessive Side Bend


Excessive side bend occurs when you create too much lateral bend in your spine during the downswing or through impact. When spine bend exceeds 22 degrees, your risk of injuring lumbar facet joints or discs increases dramatically.


Common causes:

  • Thoracic spine mobility restrictions

  • Hip mobility limitations




Identifying the Root Cause of Your Swing Faults


Mobility limitations dominate the potential underlying causes for these injury-inducing mechanics. However, strength deficits, motor control issues, and pain can also contribute—usually in some combination.


A systematic assessment by a qualified professional can determine which body parts are driving your dysfunction. If the hip and thoracic spine are the culprits (a common combination), we then determine if the limitations are:

  • Joint-related

  • Soft tissue-related

  • Motor control-related

  • Some combination of these factors


This understanding is critical because each type of limitation requires a specific treatment approach.



Treatment Solutions for Golf Swing Mechanics Issues


For Muscle/Fascial Restrictions


  1. Stretching

    • Hold stretches for minimum 30 seconds

    • Focus on slow, controlled breathing

    • Perform daily for best results

  2. Massage Tools

    • Massage guns, sticks, or balls for superficial tissues

    • Portable and convenient for regular use

  3. Foam Rolling/Tempering

    • Targets deeper tissues through compression

    • Best performed after warming up

    • Stay hydrated before treatment




For Musculoskeletal Weakness





For Joint Restrictions





For Motor Control Deficits


  • Requires skilled training beyond self-teaching

  • Focuses on brain training, not muscle mass

  • Essential after mobility restoration

  • Professional guidance recommended




For Pain-Related Restrictions




Take Action Now: Prevent Golf Injuries Before They Happen


How do you avoid injury-inducing mechanics? Get tested by a qualified professional! A mobility assessment can identify your specific risk factors and guide targeted treatment.

Don't wait until pain interferes with your game. Your golfing future may depend on preventative care today!




Schedule Your Golf Movement Assessment Today!


Book Your Appointment Now and take the first step toward pain-free golf and better performance.


Physical Therapist aka Saint Louis golf doc performing a golf assessment on a golfer wearing 3d motion capture equipment





Here's to your health and your golf game!


Dr. David Didlake, DPT

PT, Cert. SMT/DN, CSCS, Cert. TPI Medical Level 3, Dip. Osteopractic, FAAOMPT

Owner, Integrative Therapeutics "Home of the Saint Louis Golf Doc"

Follow me @theintegrativeclinic @thestlgolfdoc


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This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before beginning any new treatment.

 
 
 

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