Shoulder Pain When Playing Golf

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By: Robert Lim, PTA

Why Does my Shoulder Hurt When I Swing a Golf Club?

Golf can have numerous types of injuries. Injuries such as knee tears, hip tears, low back pain, neck pain, mid back pain and of course shoulder pain. In this article, I will talk about shoulder pain when playing golf. Almost every year I treat individuals of all ages, men and women, all type of golfing levels (amateur to pros) in the clinic that present with shoulder pain when they golf. 

The golf swing is a very violent type of movement especially if your golf swing is not up to par. The golf swing can place a huge amount of stress on the shoulder and shoulder girdle. The stress can be placed on the muscles, ligaments and tendons that surround the shoulder. So, if any part of the golf swing is off, any repetitive use of overuse can cause injuries such as shoulder compensation that causes inflammation and bursitis to the worst-case scenario such as a rotator cuff tear or labrum tear. 

So, if you finish playing a round of golf and have pain or soreness in your shoulder, you might want to seek help to figure out what is causing the pain to further eliminate further injury after your next round.

Shoulder Pain When Playing Golf

Shoulder pain when playing golf is very common for professional, semi professional and amateur players. Usually, the types of injures are due to injuries or weakness to the rotator cuff, labrum, biceps, triceps or the entire shoulder girdle.   For any golfers that golf daily, any injuries to any of the areas above can cause injuries such a possibility of a torn muscle, ligament or overuse injures with improper repetitive movements can cause inflammation or bursitis to the shoulder.   Below I will mention a few tips on how to avoid shoulder injuries especially the most common (rotator cuff injuries) to keep you on the links and hitting the ball straight.

The rotator cuff muscles are responsible for moving the shoulder through all phases of the golf swing.  Overtime, repeated motions can wear down the shoulder joint over time and cause the possibility of tearing the rotator cuff / labrum especially if there are any weakness or deficits in ROM, mobility and strength in both shoulders especially the dominant arm. The first sign of shoulder pain especially after a round of golf is usually a sign of rotator cuff injury.  General soreness could be a sign of muscle weakness while having difficulty lifting or having extreme pain could be a sign of a tear.  If you continue to play golf without addressing any of these symptoms, you may end up end up further injuring your shoulder and causing more damage to the area.

How Golfers can Avoid / Prevent Shoulder Pain While Playing Golf

If you have any type of shoulder or arm pain, you should first consult with a heath care professional prior to returning on the golf course. There are a few simple things you can do as a golfer that can help with assisting decreasing / avoid shoulder pain.  

1. Lighten up the golf bag, especially the amateur golfer.  Instead of carrying the golf bag, try using a golf pushcart especially if you are on a walk only golf course.  This can help with eliminating pressure on the neck/shoulder. 
2. Consider getting fitted for proper golf equipment.  Getting golf clubs that are fitted for your height and weight can help decrease stress to the shoulder as well as decreasing stress to other body parts such as the neck, low back and hips.  
3. Arrive on time and warm up on the driving range.  Your warmup should consist of warming up the shoulders, hips and low back.

Normal Shoulder Movement and Golf Swing

The easiest way to begin a backswing is with the left arm and shoulder (for right-handed players). By rotating the upper torso away from the ball, the left side puts the club on a proper swing plane and signals the left hip to turn in the same direction. The result should produce a swing that is connected and in sync.

Normal Shoulder Movement and Golf Swing

How Do You Stop Shoulder Pain When Golfing?

The best way to stop shoulder pain when golfing to admit you have an injury. With every patient that I treat on a day-to-day basis, most patients come to me after they have injured themselves weeks, months and years prior to them coming to physical therapy. So, the key parts of stopping shoulder pain are seeking professional help if you do have in injury such as seeing an MD or seeking advise from a physical therapist, occupational therapist or athletic trainer in a physical therapy setting. Seeking help from a professional can tell you the who, what, when, where, whys and how to prevent shoulder injuries as well as how to treat your shoulder injury from any further injury. 

Another key part is to make sure you have a proper stretching / warm up routine prior to your round.

Is Golf Bad for the Rotator Cuff?

Golf is not bad for the rotator cuff if the shoulder and shoulder girdle are in proper shape, and have proper strength, proper ROM and mobility to perform such a intricate motion. The main concern is the possibility of either tearing a rotator cuff muscle, the surrounding labrum in the shoulder, or development of tendonitis in the shoulder. 

If the shoulder is wear or very tight, the possibility of compensation of any movement can cause either injuries mentioned above. With a proper stretching and strengthening program you can avoid and decrease the risk of any injury to the shoulder.

How Can I Strengthen My Rotator Cuff?

Strengthening the rotator cuff doesn’t require having to go get a gym membership or spend thousands of dollars for a personal trainer but you can perform a few simple exercises with the use of a exercises/resistance band.  

For more detailed explanations of how to exercise the rotator cuff read our article: Rotator Cuff Exercises.

Also if you have recently had a shoulder surgery watch our video on How to Properly Put on an UltraSling 4 or Dressing the Upper Body After an Injury or Surgery

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