GOLF AND NECK PAIN: DON’T LET YOUR SWING SIDELINE YOU

Why You Should TRY PT 1ST to Stay on the Course!

By Dr. John Mishock, PT, DPT, DC 

Golf is considered a low-impact sport, but don’t let that fool you. The repetitive rotation, powerful muscle contractions, and sustained postures associated with golf can place considerable stress on the neck, shoulders, and upper back. Add hours sitting at a computer or other screen time and you have a recipe for cervical pain and stiffness. The good news? Most uncomplicated mechanical neck pain can be treated conservatively, without surgery or unnecessary imaging. That is why we encourage golfers to TRY PT 1ST.

Golf Injuries Are Common

A 2024 systematic review by Williamson and colleagues, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, examined 20 studies involving 9,221 golfers. Researchers found that 56.6% of amateur golfers and 73.5% of professional golfers reported at least one golf-related musculoskeletal injury during their lifetime.

Although lower back injuries are more frequently reported, neck discomfort is another concern, particularly among golfers who combine frequent play with prolonged desk work. Importantly, these injury statistics include the entire musculoskeletal system, not neck pain alone.

A 2025 study involving 439 professional golfers found that 15.5% reported cervical spine injuries, while 33.7% reported injuries involving the spine overall (2025, nationwide cross-sectional study; PMID: 40484430).

Why Does Golf Cause Neck Pain?

The golf swing requires coordinated movement of the hips, thoracic spine, shoulders, and cervical spine. During the backswing and follow-through, the head and neck must accommodate rapid changes in body rotation.
Several factors can contribute to neck pain:

• Repetitive rotation: Frequent swings can repeatedly load cervical muscles and joints through the rotation of the shoulders under a fixed spine.
• Reduced thoracic mobility: Limited upper-back rotation may increase demands on surrounding regions.
• Muscle fatigue: The upper trapezius, levator scapulae, and deep cervical stabilizers help control head position.
• Poor screen/desk posture: Prolonged sitting and sustained forward-head positions may contribute to stiffness and reduced movement tolerance.
• Insufficient recovery: Playing multiple rounds weekly without adequate conditioning or recovery may aggravate symptoms.

Understanding the Diagnosis

A golfer with localized neck pain, restricted rotation, and tenderness across the upper trapezius or shoulder blade may have mechanical neck pain with mobility deficits or associated myofascial pain. Other possible diagnoses include cervical facet-related pain, cervical muscle strain, and cervical degenerative changes. Pain extending into the arm with numbness, tingling, or weakness raises concern for cervical radiculopathy. A physical therapist evaluates cervical and thoracic mobility, muscular strength, posture, neurological function, and golf-specific movement to determine the appropriate treatment. Imaging is generally unnecessary for uncomplicated neck pain without concerning clinical findings.

TRY PT 1ST?

Physical therapy goes beyond temporarily relieving discomfort. Its objective is to restore movement, improve muscular capacity, identify contributing factors, and help prevent recurrence.
An individualized treatment program may include:

1. Manual therapy: Joint mobilization and soft-tissue techniques to improve movement and reduce pain.
2. Therapeutic exercise: Strengthening the deep neck flexors, scapular stabilizers, and upper-back muscles.
3. Mobility training: Restoring cervical and thoracic rotation necessary for comfortable golf mechanics.
4. Postural and ergonomic education: Improving desk setup and reducing prolonged static loading.
5. Golf-specific rehabilitation: Progressive return to practice, swing-volume management, warm-ups, and conditioning.

The evidence supports this active approach. In 2023, Wilhelm and colleagues reviewed 22 studies in the Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy. They found that combining manual therapy with exercise was more effective than exercise alone for reducing nonspecific neck pain and related disability.

How Can Chiropractic Care Help?

Chiropractic treatment can also play a valuable role in conservative neck care. Appropriately selected spinal mobilization or manipulation may help improve mobility and provide short-term pain relief. A 2025 umbrella review of 35 systematic reviews reported benefits from manual therapy combined with exercise for several neck pain conditions. The strongest approach is not necessarily physical therapy versus chiropractic care. It is combining appropriate hands-on treatment with targeted strengthening, mobility, and movement retraining.

When Can You Return to Golf?

The prognosis for uncomplicated mechanical neck pain is generally favorable. Many patients improve over several weeks with appropriate rehabilitation, although persistent symptoms and recurrence are possible. A practical goal is to restore comfortable neck rotation, improve muscular endurance, and gradually increase golf activity. Recovery time depends on symptom duration, examination findings, workload, and individual response to treatment. For most golfers, complete inactivity is unnecessary. Modifying swing volume, reducing driving-range sessions, and temporarily limiting aggravating activities may allow continued participation during recovery.

The Bottom Line: Keep Your Swing, Lose the Pain

If neck stiffness makes checking your blind spot difficult or pain follows you home after 18 holes, don’t simply dismiss it as aging. Golf should be a lifetime sport. Addressing mobility, strength, posture, and recovery can help protect your ability to play. Before accepting chronic pain, relying solely on medication, or pursuing unnecessary imaging, TRY PT 1ST.

The goal isn’t simply to feel better today. It’s to move better, play longer, and stay in the game.

We can help!

If pain is limiting you from doing the activities you enjoy, give Mishock Physical Therapy a call: locations in Gilbertsville (610-327-2600), Skippack (610-584-1400), Phoenixville (610-933-3371), Boyertown (610- 845-5000), Limerick (484-948-2800)  at www.mishockpt.com or request your appointment by clicking here.

Dr. Mishock is one of only a few clinicians with doctorate-level degrees in both physical therapy and chiropractic in the state of Pennsylvania. He has also authored two books; “Fundamental Training Principles: Essential Knowledge for Building the Elite Athlete”, “The Rubber Arm; Using Science to Increase Pitch Control, Improve Velocity, and Prevent Elbow and Shoulder Injury” both can be bought on Amazon or train2playsports.com.