What One Spinal Surgeon is Doing to Correct Golfer Back Pain

For many avid golfers, that nagging lower-back ache feels like the price of doing business. In reality, most aren’t simply “unlucky with posture,”  their bodies are being pushed beyond what they’re built for. 

Limited mobility, compensatory movement patterns, and subtle alignment issues often lead to chronic lumbar strain that flares late on the back nine, derailing rounds and cutting short the joy of play.

Why Golf and Back Pain Go Hand in Hand

The golf swing looks straightforward in theory, turn, drive, repeat,  but it’s mechanically complex. The body must coordinate the hips, trunk, and shoulders in perfect sequence. 

When one area, such as the hips or thoracic spine, is restricted, the lower back ends up taking the load. Over time, those compensations lead to overloaded joints, tight soft tissues, and pain that limits both swing and stamina.

“As a spinal and orthopaedic surgeon, I see golfers of all levels who blame their swing when the real problem is how their body moves,” explains Dr. Gbolahan Okubadejo, founder of Comprehensive Wellness in the New York area. “When you correct those imbalances ,  rather than just the technique,  you can restore motion, reduce pain, and actually improve performance.”

Common swing faults like Reverse Spine Angle and Early Extension only add to the strain, reinforcing why the body must be conditioned to support the mechanics of the game.

 

A Different Approach: Treating the Body, Not Just the Symptoms

Recognizing that the swing is only half of the story, Dr. Okubadejo and his team have introduced a Golf Wellness model,  a clinical-plus-performance framework that blends medical insight, movement science, and golf mechanics. It’s a personalized approach designed to keep golfers moving freely, swinging efficiently, and enjoying the game without pain.

 

Here’s how it works in practice:

1.    TPI-Based Physical Assessment

Every new golfer undergoes a Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) Level 1 screening. The screen assesses how well a person’s pelvis, thoracic spine, hips, feet, and balance function under simple movement tests. To tie body to ball, the clinician also captures simple swing video clips to see how movement breakdowns map to swing faults.

2.    Movement + Hands-On Work

From that screen, the clinician prescribes a targeted regimen,  massage and stretching to calm “hot spots,” motion restoration where joints are pinched, and soft-tissue mobilization to free up restriction.

3.    Therapeutic Training, Pattern Correction, and Core Control

Physical therapy builds the missing links: glute sequencing, core anti-rotation stability, scapular rhythm, and movement timing. This structure helps create durability, allowing the body to withstand the volume without collapsing under it.

4.    Biologic Options for Tough Tissue

For stubborn tendon or soft-tissue injuries that don’t respond to movement alone, the plan may include PRP (platelet-rich plasma) or exosome injections, integrated into a phased return-to-play protocol.

5.    Warm-Up, Recovery, and Sustainment Built Into the Game Plan

One of the biggest differentiators: the program tailors warm-up flows (tee-box routine, longer range warm-up) and daily recovery tools so players can “show up ready” — even on travel rounds. Over weeks, clients track gains in hip and thoracic rotation, balance, dispersion, carry, and how their body feels late in the round.

What Golfers Are Saying — And Expecting

Patients often report early improvements in mobility and reduced stiffness within two weeks. By week 3–6, rotation gains and more consistent ball-striking emerge; by week 6–12, some see return of speed,  this time without triggering pain. The real goal: fewer “flare-ups” at holes 15–18, steadier swing mechanics (less collapse under fatigue), and a body that can practice more often rather than needing rest.

Who Stands to Benefit

This approach isn’t limited to one type of golfer. It helps:

·        Players with recurring back, hip, knee, shoulder, elbow, or wrist issues

·        Competitive golfers chasing more speed without sacrificing health

·        Weekend warriors who feel beat up after practice sessions

·        Older golfers (55+) looking to maintain balance, rotation, and distance

·        Juniors who need volume guardrails plus movement foundations

·        Desk-bound adults whose bodies “forget how to move” before they swing

Why This Matters  On and Off the Course

The advantage of this approach is that it treats more than just pain. Because the body is being reorganized, golfers often see gains in swing consistency, better dispersion, and more sustainable play over time. Off the course, activities such as carrying groceries, commuting, sleeping, and general mobility tend to improve too, because less strain is put on the body when walking in the door.

Takeaway

Golf shouldn’t automatically come with discomfort, but for many, the body’s limitations get overwhelmed by demanding mechanical sequences. What Dr. Okubadejo’s Golf Wellness model offers is a bridge between movement science, clinical care, and equipment/technique,  not by discarding your swing coach but by making your body capable of sustaining one. The result: more rounds, fewer flare-ups, less pain, and greater freedom in how far and often you play.