Why your lower back hurts when you swing, twist or serve, and how chiropractic care can help you keep moving.
There's something satisfying about a powerful golf swing or a well-placed tennis serve. The movement feels almost effortless when everything works together. Your hips rotate, your trunk follows, your shoulders move and power travels through your body into the club or racquet.
But what happens when that movement becomes uncomfortable? Perhaps you notice a sharp pain in your lower back during your golf swing, stiffness after nine holes or an ache on one side of your back after a few sets of tennis. You might even find yourself holding back on your swing because you're worried about aggravating your back.
Golf and tennis place unique demands on your spine. Both require coordinated rotation, muscular strength, joint mobility and precise movement control. When these elements aren't working comfortably together, back pain can develop.
At Nomad Chiropractic in Mosman, we look beyond where your back hurts to understand how your spine, hips, pelvis and nervous system contribute to movement. Because the goal isn't simply to get you through your next game. It's to help you move confidently, maintain your strength and keep enjoying the sports you love.
Your spine is designed to move and rotate. The key is having the mobility, strength and coordination to manage the demands of your sport.
Why Does My Back Hurt After Golf or Tennis?
Lower back pain after golf or tennis commonly develops when repeated rotational movements, muscular demands or playing volume exceed your body's current capacity.
Common contributing factors include:
Limited or uncomfortable rotation through the thoracic spine.
Reduced hip mobility or muscular control.
Fatigue in the muscles supporting your trunk.
Sudden increases in playing time or practice volume.
Sensitivity in the lumbar joints, muscles or surrounding tissues.
Changes in the coordination of spinal and pelvic movement.
Previous episodes of lower back pain.
Reduced strength or endurance for rotational movements.
Golfers may notice symptoms during the downswing, follow-through or after a long session at the driving range. Tennis players may experience discomfort during serving, powerful groundstrokes or repeated changes of direction.
Sometimes pain reflects muscular fatigue or temporary tissue sensitivity. Other times, recurring discomfort may be associated with joint irritation, disc-related symptoms or other musculoskeletal conditions.
The important question isn't whether twisting is bad for your back. It's whether your body has the mobility, strength and control to manage the movement comfortably.
Your Spine Is Designed to Rotate
Your spine isn't designed to remain completely rigid. It bends, extends, rotates and adapts to movement throughout the day. Golf and tennis simply place greater demands on these capabilities.
However, different regions of your spine contribute to rotation in different ways.
Thoracic Spine: Your Upper Back
Your thoracic spine sits between your neck and lower back and plays an important role in trunk rotation. During a golf swing, your upper back contributes to the rotation of your shoulders relative to your pelvis. In tennis, thoracic rotation helps coordinate your trunk during serving, forehands and backhands.
Your thoracic spine also works closely with your rib cage and shoulder blades, making upper back mobility particularly relevant to sports involving powerful arm movements.
Lumbar Spine: Your Lower Back
Your lumbar spine also contributes to movement, although its anatomy allows relatively less axial rotation than the thoracic spine. That doesn't mean your lower back shouldn't rotate. It simply means rotational movement is distributed across several regions of your body.
During golf and tennis, the lumbar spine also manages bending, extension, muscular loading and the transfer of forces between your upper and lower body.
Hips and Pelvis
Your hips contribute to rotation and the transfer of forces between your lower and upper body. During a golf swing, coordinated pelvic rotation helps generate and transfer movement. In tennis, your hips contribute to positioning, pushing off the court and producing rotational force.
Effective rotational movement depends on these regions working together. When one area is restricted or uncomfortable, your body may naturally adopt a different movement strategy.
This isn't automatically harmful, but when those movement patterns repeatedly aggravate symptoms, assessing how your spine, pelvis and hips work together can help identify opportunities for improvement.
1. Your Golf Swing Places Significant Demands on Your Lower Back
Golf might look relatively gentle compared with running or contact sports, but the golf swing is a powerful and highly coordinated movement.
During a typical swing, your body moves through several phases, each placing different demands on your spine and surrounding muscles.
The Backswing
Your shoulders and trunk rotate away from the target while your hips and pelvis also contribute to the movement. Your muscles work to control rotation and position your body for the downswing.
The Downswing
Your lower body and trunk coordinate to accelerate the club towards the ball. This occurs rapidly and places substantial demands on the muscles and joints of your spine.
Impact and Follow-Through
Your trunk continues rotating as your body manages the forces generated during the swing. Your muscles help control and slow the movement as you finish.
Research examining golf biomechanics has identified substantial rotational, compressive and shear forces through the lumbar spine during the golf swing.
A 2024 systematic review published in the Journal of Sports Sciences examined biomechanical characteristics associated with lower back pain in golfers. The researchers identified several possible associations involving lumbar movement, trunk muscle activity and rotational loading, although the findings were inconsistent.
This is important because golfers don't all move identically. Differences in height, mobility, strength, experience and swing mechanics influence how each person moves.
Rather than forcing everyone into one ideal golf swing, it's more useful to understand how your body manages the demands of your particular swing.
2. Why Does My Lower Back Hurt After Playing Golf?
Many golfers notice that their back feels comfortable when they begin playing but becomes increasingly stiff or painful as the round progresses. Others experience discomfort after practising at the driving range.
Several factors may contribute.
Repeated Rotational Loading
Every golf swing places demands on your spinal muscles and joints. A round of golf involves repeated swings, practice movements, bending and walking. A long driving-range session may involve even more repetitions within a relatively short period.
If your body isn't accustomed to that volume, discomfort can develop.
Muscular Fatigue
Your abdominal muscles, spinal extensors and hip muscles help coordinate movement and control rotational forces. As these muscles fatigue, your movement may change.
Some golfers notice that their swing becomes less controlled or that they begin experiencing more lower back discomfort towards the end of a round.
Hip Mobility
Limited or uncomfortable hip rotation may influence how you position and move your pelvis. This can affect the way rotational movement is shared between your hips and spine.
Previous Lower Back Pain
If you've experienced back pain before, you may have altered your swing to avoid certain movements. Sometimes these protective strategies remain even after the original symptoms improve.
A combination of movement assessment, strength training and appropriate spinal care can help address contributing factors.
3. Tennis Places Different Rotational Demands on Your Spine
While golf involves a relatively consistent swing pattern, tennis requires continuous adjustments. You're moving forwards, backwards and sideways, accelerating, decelerating and changing direction while producing powerful rotational movements during forehands, backhands and serves.
Each stroke places different demands on your spine and surrounding muscles.
The Tennis Serve
The serve combines trunk rotation, spinal extension, shoulder movement, hip and knee coordination, rapid acceleration and controlled deceleration.
Your body uses a coordinated sequence of movement to transfer force from your lower limbs through your trunk and into your racquet.
Research by Campbell and colleagues, published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, investigated lumbar movement and serving mechanics in elite adolescent tennis players. The study identified differences in regional lumbar movement and serving characteristics between players with and without a history of lower back pain.
These findings highlight the importance of considering spinal mobility, movement coordination and the demands of serving when assessing tennis-related back pain.
Forehands and Backhands
Groundstrokes require coordinated trunk and pelvic rotation. Your abdominal muscles, spinal extensors and hip muscles work together to generate and control movement.
When playing volume increases or muscular fatigue develops, some players experience discomfort during more powerful strokes.
Changes of Direction
Tennis also requires repeated acceleration and deceleration. Your trunk helps maintain balance while your lower limbs respond to sudden movement demands.
This makes muscular strength, coordination and movement adaptability particularly important.
4. Your Hip Mobility Can Influence Rotational Movement
Your hips are an important part of rotational sports. They connect your lower limbs to your pelvis and contribute to the transfer of forces through your trunk.
During golf, hip rotation allows your pelvis to move as your shoulders and trunk turn. During tennis, your hips help position your body for strokes and coordinate movement during changes of direction.
When hip mobility is limited or uncomfortable, your body may alter how it completes a rotational movement.
For example, a golfer who struggles with hip internal rotation may adopt a different pelvic position during their swing. Similarly, a tennis player with restricted hip movement may change their stance or trunk rotation during groundstrokes.
These adaptations aren't automatically harmful. However, if they repeatedly aggravate symptoms, assessing hip function can help identify useful treatment and exercise strategies.
What We Assess at Nomad
Your chiropractor may examine:
Hip internal and external rotation.
Thoracic spinal rotation.
Lumbar spinal movement.
Pelvic control and coordination.
Single-leg balance.
Functional rotational movements.
Muscular strength and endurance.
Relevant neurological and orthopaedic findings.
The aim is to understand how your body moves as a coordinated system.
Your lower back doesn't need to do all the work when you swing. Your hips, pelvis and upper back are important contributors to rotational movement.
5. Muscular Strength and Control Matter During Rotation
Rotational sports require more than flexibility. Your muscles need to generate force, transfer it through your body and control the movement afterwards.
Several muscle groups play important roles.
Abdominal Muscles
Your internal and external obliques contribute to trunk rotation and control. Your deeper abdominal muscles also help coordinate movement and manage spinal loading.
Spinal Extensors
The muscles surrounding your spine contribute to trunk positioning and movement control. They work throughout the golf swing and during tennis strokes.
Gluteal Muscles
Your glutes contribute to hip movement, pelvic control and force production. They're particularly important during rotational movements and single-leg loading.
Shoulder and Upper Back Muscles
Your shoulder blades and upper back help coordinate the transfer of movement into your arms. This is important during golf swings, tennis serves and groundstrokes.
Research reviewing golf-related lower back pain has identified associations involving trunk muscle activity, hip strength, hip mobility and the coordination of pelvis and trunk rotation.
These findings highlight the importance of considering muscular strength and endurance alongside joint movement.
A strong back isn't necessarily one that never moves. It's one that has the capacity to manage movement and loading comfortably.
6. Your Nervous System Coordinates Every Swing and Serve
There's another important component to rotational movement: your nervous system.
When you swing a golf club or serve a tennis ball, your brain coordinates movements occurring across multiple joints within fractions of a second.
It continually processes sensory information from your muscles, tendons and joints. This information helps your nervous system understand where your body is positioned, how your joints are moving, how quickly you're rotating and how much force your muscles are producing.
This ability to sense position and movement is called proprioception.
Why Proprioception Matters in Golf and Tennis
Think about hitting a tennis ball. You need to position your feet, rotate your trunk, coordinate your shoulder and time your racquet movement.
Your nervous system brings these actions together.
In golf, the timing and coordination of your swing influence how force travels through your body. These movements become more refined with practice because your brain and nervous system adapt to repeated experiences.
This is part of motor learning.
What Does Chiropractic Neuroscience Tell Us?
Research by neuroscientist and chiropractor Dr Heidi Haavik and colleagues has explored how spinal manipulation influences sensory processing and motor control.
A 2012 review published in the Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology described research demonstrating neurological changes following spinal manipulation, including changes in measures of sensory processing and motor output.
These findings demonstrate that spinal manipulation can influence aspects of nervous system function beyond the immediate mechanical movement of a joint.
Researchers are continuing to investigate how these neurological responses translate into longer-term clinical outcomes and athletic performance.
At Nomad Chiropractic, we consider spinal function, neurological findings and movement control together when assessing active adults.
Your spine is more than a mechanical structure. It's also an important source of sensory information that contributes to how your body moves.
7. Why Does My Back Hurt When I Twist?
Some people experience discomfort specifically when rotating their trunk. This may occur during a golf swing, tennis stroke or even ordinary activities such as turning in the car.
Rotational back pain may involve sensitivity associated with lumbar spinal joints, muscles surrounding the spine, ligaments, intervertebral discs or the sacroiliac region.
However, the location of pain doesn't always identify the structure responsible.
A thorough examination helps determine which movements reproduce your symptoms and whether neurological involvement or other factors need to be considered.
Does Pain When Twisting Mean Something Is Damaged?
Not necessarily. Pain is influenced by tissue sensitivity, previous experiences, nervous system processing and current physical demands.
A movement may become uncomfortable without significant structural damage. However, recurring pain during rotation can indicate that your body would benefit from assessment, treatment or a change in loading.
Rather than avoiding rotation indefinitely, the goal is often to gradually restore comfortable movement and build tolerance.
How Sports Chiropractic Can Help Golf and Tennis Back Pain
Sports chiropractic focuses on assessing and managing musculoskeletal complaints in people who want to remain physically active.
The International Federation of Sports Chiropractic (FICS) provides advanced sports chiropractic education covering athlete assessment, spinal and extremity manipulation, soft tissue techniques and rehabilitation.
At Nomad Chiropractic, our approach considers the relationship between spinal movement, muscular function, neurological findings and sporting demands.
Chiropractic Adjustments
Spinal manipulation is an established conservative treatment option for certain presentations of lower back pain.
A 2019 systematic review published in the BMJ examined 47 randomised controlled trials involving more than 9,000 participants. The researchers found that spinal manipulative therapy produced improvements in pain and function in people with chronic lower back pain, with outcomes generally comparable to other recommended conservative treatments.
For appropriate patients, chiropractic adjustments may help manage discomfort and improve movement as part of a broader care plan.
Thoracic and Lumbar Assessment
We assess movement through different regions of your spine. For rotational sports, thoracic rotation, lumbar movement and coordination between spinal regions may be particularly relevant.
Hip and Pelvic Function
We examine hip mobility and movement control to understand how your lower body contributes to rotation.
Soft Tissue Therapy
Soft tissue techniques may help address muscular tension or sensitivity associated with sporting activity.
Exercise Rehabilitation
Targeted exercises can help develop mobility, strength and muscular endurance. These may include trunk strengthening, hip mobility work and controlled rotational exercises.
Return-to-Sport Advice
We consider your playing frequency, practice habits, symptoms and sporting goals. The objective is to help you continue participating in your chosen sport with an appropriate progression.
Our goal is to help you move comfortably, manage rotational demands and return to the activities you enjoy with confidence.
Explore Sports & Exercise Chiropractic at Nomad
Five Exercises That May Help Golf and Tennis Back Pain
These exercises focus on movement, strength and control through your spine, hips and trunk. Choose a comfortable range and progress gradually.
1. Thoracic Rotation
Focus: Upper back mobility
Begin on your hands and knees. Place one hand behind your head and slowly rotate your upper back, directing your elbow towards the ceiling. Return to the starting position.
Try: 8 repetitions per side.
Why it helps: Encourages controlled thoracic rotation, an important movement during golf swings and tennis strokes.
2. Half-Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
Focus: Hip mobility
Begin in a half-kneeling position. Gently move your pelvis forwards until you feel a comfortable stretch through the front of your rear hip. Avoid excessively arching your lower back.
Try: Hold for 20 to 30 seconds per side.
Why it helps: Encourages hip extension mobility, which contributes to movement during walking, running and sport.
3. Resistance Band Rotations
Focus: Rotational strength and control
Attach a resistance band to a secure anchor. Stand sideways to the anchor and hold the band with both hands. Rotate your trunk through a comfortable range while allowing your hips and pelvis to participate. Return slowly.
Try: 2 sets of 8 repetitions per side.
Why it helps: Develops strength and coordination during controlled rotational movements.
4. Bird Dog
Focus: Trunk control and coordination
Begin on your hands and knees. Extend one arm and the opposite leg while maintaining a comfortable trunk position. Return with control and alternate sides.
Try: 2 sets of 8 repetitions per side.
Why it helps: Challenges trunk control and coordination between the upper and lower limbs.
5. Standing Weight-Shift Rotation
Focus: Sport-specific movement coordination
Stand with your feet approximately shoulder-width apart and hold a light stick or golf club across your shoulders. Slowly rotate your trunk and pelvis while transferring weight between your feet. Keep the movement comfortable and controlled.
Try: 10 repetitions per side.
Why it helps: Introduces coordinated rotation and weight transfer similar to the demands of golf and tennis.
As your movement becomes more comfortable, these exercises can be progressed towards more demanding rotational strength and power training.
Should You Keep Playing Golf or Tennis If Your Back Hurts?
For many people with mild mechanical lower back pain, continuing to participate with appropriate modifications is possible.
Consider temporarily reducing the number of golf balls you hit at the driving range, shortening practice sessions, playing fewer sets of tennis or reducing the intensity of your serves. You may also benefit from taking short movement breaks and including a progressive warm-up before playing.
If your symptoms remain manageable and settle after activity, you may be able to gradually increase your playing volume.
However, sharp or worsening pain, significant radiating symptoms or new neurological changes deserve assessment. New bladder or bowel dysfunction, numbness around the saddle region or rapidly progressing leg weakness require urgent medical attention.
The aim isn't to stop playing unnecessarily. It's to find an appropriate level of activity while improving your body's capacity to manage the demands of your sport.
When Should You See a Chiropractor for Golf or Tennis Back Pain?
Consider booking an assessment if:
Your lower back hurts during your golf swing.
You experience stiffness after playing nine or eighteen holes.
Tennis serves regularly trigger back discomfort.
Pain develops when rotating or twisting.
One side of your lower back feels persistently uncomfortable.
You're avoiding certain strokes because of pain.
Your symptoms keep returning despite rest.
You want guidance on returning to sport after an injury.
A chiropractic assessment can help you understand the factors contributing to your symptoms and develop an individualised plan.
Keep Swinging, Keep Moving and Enjoy Your Game
Golf and tennis are fantastic ways to stay active, challenge your body and enjoy time outdoors. Both sports require mobility, strength, coordination and the ability to manage rotational forces.
Your spine is designed to move, and your nervous system is constantly coordinating that movement. With appropriate spinal care, exercise rehabilitation and training progression, many people can improve their comfort and continue enjoying their sport.
At Nomad Chiropractic in Mosman, we support golfers, tennis players and active adults throughout Mosman, Cremorne, Neutral Bay, Northbridge and Sydney's Lower North Shore.
Whether you're working on your golf handicap, returning to tennis after an injury or simply wanting to play without worrying about your back, we're here to help you move confidently.
Your best game starts with a body that moves freely, manages load confidently and lets you focus on the next shot rather than your back.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why Does My Lower Back Hurt After Playing Golf?
Lower back pain after golf can develop from repeated rotational loading, muscular fatigue, hip mobility limitations or sensitivity in the structures supporting your lumbar spine. Golf swings involve coordinated movement through your hips, pelvis and trunk, with substantial forces passing through the lower back. If your symptoms develop after several holes or a long practice session, your current endurance or tolerance for repeated swings may be contributing. A chiropractic assessment can help identify relevant movement and loading factors.
2. Can Chiropractic Adjustments Help Golf-Related Back Pain?
Yes. Chiropractic adjustments are an evidence-supported treatment option for certain presentations of mechanical lower back pain. Research has demonstrated improvements in pain and function following spinal manipulative therapy, with outcomes generally comparable to other recommended conservative treatments. At Nomad Chiropractic, adjustments may be combined with thoracic and lumbar assessment, hip mobility exercises, muscular strengthening and practical advice on returning to golf.
3. Why Does My Back Hurt When Serving in Tennis?
The tennis serve combines spinal extension, rotation, muscular acceleration and rapid transfer of forces through the body. These movements place substantial demands on your lumbar spine, trunk muscles and hips. Back pain during serving may be associated with muscular fatigue, limited movement, previous injury or changes in movement coordination. Research has identified differences in lumbar movement and serve mechanics between some tennis players with and without lower back pain. Assessment can help identify which factors are relevant to you.
4. Can Limited Hip Mobility Cause Lower Back Pain During Golf or Tennis?
Limited hip mobility may influence how your pelvis and spine coordinate rotational movements. If your hips cannot comfortably move through the range required for a particular swing or stroke, your body may adopt a different movement strategy. However, limited hip mobility doesn't automatically cause back pain. Strength, movement control, training volume and previous injuries also matter. A functional assessment can help determine whether hip mobility exercises or other interventions are likely to be useful.
5. Should I Stop Playing Golf or Tennis If My Lower Back Hurts?
Not necessarily. Many people with mild mechanical lower back pain can continue playing with modifications to their activity, including shorter sessions, reduced swing intensity and additional recovery time. Gentle movement and progressive strengthening may help improve tolerance over time. However, worsening pain, significant radiating symptoms or neurological changes require assessment. A chiropractor can help determine an appropriate approach to returning to comfortable, confident participation.
Key Takeaways: Golf and Tennis Back Pain
Golf and tennis require repeated spinal rotation, coordinated hip and pelvic movement, muscular strength and precise movement control. Lower back pain can develop when these physical demands exceed your body's current capacity.
Your spine is designed to rotate. Rotational movement is a normal part of healthy spinal function.
Your hips contribute to rotation. Hip mobility and muscular control help coordinate movement between your lower and upper body.
Your thoracic spine matters. Upper back rotation contributes to golf swings, tennis serves and groundstrokes.
Strength and endurance matter. Your trunk and hip muscles help generate, transfer and control rotational forces.
Your nervous system matters. Proprioception helps coordinate joint position, balance and movement timing.
Chiropractic can help. Spinal adjustments, movement assessment, rehabilitation and training advice can support the management of mechanical lower back pain.
You don't always need to stop playing. Appropriate modifications and progressive rehabilitation can help you remain active.
At Nomad Chiropractic in Mosman, we provide individualised chiropractic care for golfers, tennis players and active adults experiencing lower back pain, helping them improve spinal movement, manage discomfort and return to their sport with confidence.
Want to learn more? Book a FREE 15min discovery call with an experienced sports chiropractor near me: Book HERE
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Watson, M., et al. (2024). Biomechanical parameters of the golf swing associated with lower back pain: A systematic review. Journal of Sports Sciences, 41(24), 2236–2250. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2024.2319443
Edwards, N., Dickin, C., & Wang, H. (2020). Low back pain and golf: A review of biomechanical risk factors. Sports Medicine and Health Science, 2(1), 10–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smhs.2020.03.002
Finn, C. (2013). Rehabilitation of low back pain in golfers: From diagnosis to return to sport. Sports Health, 5(4), 313–319. https://doi.org/10.1177/1941738113479893
Campbell, A., O'Sullivan, P., Straker, L., Elliott, B., & Reid, M. (2014). Back pain in tennis players: A link with lumbar serve kinematics and range of motion. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 46(2), 351–357. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3182a45cca
International Tennis Federation (ITF). Lower Back Pain. Educational resource discussing lumbar spine complaints in tennis, contributing factors and management. ITF Lower Back Pain Resource
International Federation of Sports Chiropractic (FICS). International Certificate in Sports Chiropractic: Education and Clinical Competencies. FICS Sports Chiropractic Education
Haavik, H., & Murphy, B. (2012). The role of spinal manipulation in addressing disordered sensorimotor integration and altered motor control. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 22(5), 768–776. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2012.02.012
Lelic, D., et al. (2016). Manipulation of dysfunctional spinal joints affects sensorimotor integration in the prefrontal cortex: A brain source localization study. Neural Plasticity, 2016, 3704964. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/3704964
Rubinstein, S. M., et al. (2019). Benefits and harms of spinal manipulative therapy for the treatment of chronic low back pain: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ, 364, l689. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l689
George, S. Z., et al. (2021). Interventions for the management of acute and chronic low back pain: Revision 2021. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 51(11), CPG1–CPG60. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2021.0304
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This article provides general educational information and does not replace individual healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment. Golf and tennis-related back pain can have several causes, including muscular, joint, disc-related and neurological conditions. Chiropractic adjustments, rehabilitation exercises and activity modifications should be tailored to your symptoms, medical history and clinical examination findings. Seek appropriate assessment for severe, persistent or worsening symptoms, particularly where neurological changes occur. Individual responses to chiropractic care and exercise rehabilitation vary.
Lets keep you moving.