Shoulder pain in the golf swing can limit everything from how far you take the club back, to how much power you are willing to generate through contact. It can ruin a round or a day on the range. The causes are myriad, but the fixes typically follow one of two paths.
Range of Motion
Many shoulder issues in the golf swing come down to range of motion. Golfers look at swing videos and see tour players with the huge backswings and think “I need to do that too.” I’m here to tell you that tour players are genetic outliers, and most people would require surgery to achieve the ranges of motion some players can get naturally. Also, they spend hours working on flexibility, not hours at a computer like us mere mortals.
This means that amateur golfers are trying to do something their body can’t do. A stiff shoulder will limit your form at the top of your backswing. Whether trail or lead shoulder, this position requires end-range motion from each side. Same with the end of your swing. If you aren’t comfortable throwing your shoulder quickly in the opposite direction, the rest of your body will compensate to avoid that pain. This is usually done by slowing down through contact with the ball in preparation for a painful, or abrupt stop.
In order to fix this, I tell my patients to go on a shoulder stretching program. There are a bunch of good ones out there. If they still can’t fix it the self-study way, then I’ll see them in the clinic for a more exact routine for their shoulder.
Faulty Motion Somewhere Else
This is the area of rehab I love. A client comes in with shoulder pain in the golf swing, but otherwise no shoulder pain during their day. No cuff tear or impingement pain. What’s going on?
I put on my detective hat and get to work. Are they using their shoulders to compensate for lack of hip turn? Maybe, it’s a common issue for the amateur golfer/computer jockey. They are overusing their arms in the swing because they can’t generate power with their hips.
Maybe it’s poor core control. They lack the strength to stay in good posture and rotate at speed, so they are trying to use their arms to get the ball down the fairway.
Could be a stiff thoracic spine. They can’t spin their spine easily, meaning a shorter backswing and less power. This causes the shoulder to need to work harder at the end ranges to get the club going faster.
This is where the golfer really needs an assessment from a qualified professional in movement analysis. A Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) certified medical professional is a great place to start. That system more than any other can look and regional inefficencies and tie it back to the golf swing. It’s also a great tool to set a baseline initially, and re-test as you put in the work in the gym.
Shoulder pain in golfers, while not as common as back pain, can destroy a round. I routinely refer to the body as your “14th Club.” If you can optimize for mobility, this will give you a good base to then build up the power of those muscles in the new ranges of motion. Don’t forget the whole body helps in the swing, so any stiffness or pain along the chain will effect your power. I’m hopeful that with these tips I hope you will be able to reduce your pain, and have a blast on the course!
Owen Campbell, PT, DPT, OCS
