The Golf Swing & The Lower Back

The “Locked Hip” Trap

Why the Lower Back Takes the Hit

Your mid-back (thoracic) and your hips are designed for mobility (turning and rotating). Your lower back (lumbar) is designed for stability holding you upright.

In a perfect golf swing, your hips and mid-backdo the rotating, while your lower back stays stable. But here is where the “trap” happens:

If your Psoas and Iliacus (the deep hip flexors) are tight from a week a sitting or driving, your hips are essentially locked. When you go for that big backswing or that powerful follow-through, your body still needs to find that rotation from somewhere.

Since your hips won’t budge, your body steals the rotation fromyour lower back. You are forcing your lumbar spineto twist in a way it wasn’t bult for.

The Lead Side: The side you move away from often gets over stretched and strained.

How I address Gold Related Back Pain

When. a golfer comes to see me, we don’t just rub the sore spot, on the back. I look for the mechanical culprit.

Unlocking the Hips: I release the Psoas and Iliacus to restore your hip turn. If your hips can rotate, your back doesn’t have to.

Decompress the QL: The Quadratus Lumborum is a deep back muscle that often seizes up to protect the spine in golfers. I work to release this muscle so you can move without that catching sensation.

Restoring Mid-Back Mobility: I address the thoracic spine. If your mid-back is stiff, it can force the lower back to overcompensate.

Glute Activation: We ensure your Hip extenders (the glutes) are awake and strong enough to support your spine during the explosive part of the swing.

Book A Massage: Click Here

As a Licensed Massage Therapist, I provide education on muscles, anatomy, and how soft tissue tension affects movement. I DO NOT diagnose medical conditions or prescribe treatments. Please consult a physician for medical concerns.