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Can you play golf with osteoarthritis?

Author

William Rodriguez

Published Jan 18, 2026

If golf is one of your favorite activities, you don't necessarily have to give it up. In fact, light physical activity like golf can actually help improve joint motion and coordination. You may have to make some modifications to your equipment and technique, but you can still play golf with arthritis.

Does golf worsen arthritis?

Golf is an ideal activity for increasing strength, balance, coordination and improving range of motion, making your time on the course an important part of effectively treating your arthritis. While playing golf may benefit your health, it likely doesn't alleviate your discomfort.

How can I play golf with arthritis?

Build up the grip size on your clubs with athletic tape or a custom grip to help you hold them easier and to reduce stress and pain on your finger joints. If you have arthritis in your hands, try wearing wrist braces and gloves on both hands to stabilize your joints.

What activities should be avoided with osteoarthritis?

You may need to avoid activities that put too much strain on the joints, such as running and sports that involve jumping, quick turns, or sudden stops — tennis and basketball, for example. Swimming and pool exercises have several advantages for people with osteoarthritis.

Does golf make knee arthritis worse?

It may seem intuitive that golfers with knee osteoarthritis should stay off their feet and ride in a golf cart. But new research has found, for the first time, that walking the course provides significantly higher health benefits and is not associated with increased pain, cartilage breakdown or inflammation.

23 related questions found

Can you play golf with hip osteoarthritis?

For people with arthritis and even those who have had total hip replacement, golf is still a great way to exercise. And you can still play a solid game as shown by a number of professionals who have had a hip replacement – Jack Nicklaus, Hal Sutton and Davis Love III among others.

Are larger golf grips better for arthritis?

Oversize golf grips reduce pain and are recommended for players who have arthritis or experience hand strain because the bigger the grip, the less pressure your hands need to apply.

How do you stop osteoarthritis from progressing?

Slowing Osteoarthritis Progression

  1. Maintain a Healthy Weight. Excess weight puts additional pressure on weight-bearing joints, such as the hips and knees. ...
  2. Control Blood Sugar. ...
  3. Get Physical. ...
  4. Protect Joints. ...
  5. Choose a Healthy Lifestyle.

Can I run with osteoarthritis?

Knee osteoarthritis doesn't have to stop you from running — when done carefully, it can actually reduce pain associated with arthritis. Many people mistakenly believe that running causes knee osteoarthritis — however, doctors now know this is not true.

What can make osteoarthritis worse?

Being overweight or obese places extra pressure on the joints, which can make the symptoms of osteoarthritis worse. Eating a balanced diet rich in plants, fiber, and anti-inflammatory fats, such as those that the Mediterranean diet includes, can help people living with osteoarthritis to maintain a healthy weight.

Does golf cause hip arthritis?

Hip pain from golf can result from swinging the golf club over and over, which puts pressure on the hip joint and surrounding muscles. Pain can be also exacerbated if the swing is not executed correctly or smoothly.

How can I play golf with hip arthritis?

Modifications on the Golf Course for Golfers with Hip Arthritis

  1. Play with the foot turned out to account for the loss of motion.
  2. Decrease the swing plane in the direction of the affected side to minimize pressure on the joint.

Does golf hurt your knees?

While the knees are built to withstand all kinds of stresses, one wrong move can cause serious damage. Knee injuries aren't common in golf, but they do occur, and engaging in the sport may aggravate existing knee problems.

Can I play golf with degenerative disc disease?

Golfers with disc conditions and/or difficulty sitting for extended periods or bending: Avoid prolonged sitting or bending. Consider resuming golf by swinging the longer irons and woods with 50% effort. Slowly work toward using the shorter clubs, chipping and putting.

Can I play football with osteoarthritis?

By managing pain and symptoms, many people with osteoarthritis can continue to exercise and enjoy sports. Seeking treatment early can help.

Does walking worsen osteoarthritis?

A) This is quite a dilemma. On the one hand you have osteoarthritis of the back and hips, and power walking on hard surfaces is likely to aggravate it. On the other hand you have early osteoporosis, and weight bearing exercise is recommended to delay further bone loss.

Can walking make arthritis worse?

You may worry that a walk will put extra pressure on your joints and make the pain worse. But it has the opposite effect. Walking sends more blood and nutrients to your knee joints. This helps them feel better.

Will osteoarthritis cripple me?

Osteoarthritis (OA) can be crippling if untreated as it disintegrates the cartilage that supports the joints of the spine, knees, hands, and spine. This causes debilitating pain because the bones start rubbing against one another.

Can you reverse osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis symptoms can usually be managed, although the damage to joints can't be reversed. Staying active, maintaining a healthy weight and receiving certain treatments might slow progression of the disease and help improve pain and joint function.

What type of exercise is good for osteoarthritis?

Walking, biking, swimming, tai chi, yoga, and water aerobics are all good aerobic exercises for people with osteoarthritis. Water exercise is especially ideal because of water's soothing warmth and buoyancy. It's a gentle way to exercise joints and muscles -- plus it acts as resistance to help build muscle strength.

What is a weak right hand golf grip?

A weak grip means the 'V' shapes are pointed to the left of your head. This type of grip would promote a less closed club face through impact as well as a more out-to-in swing. A weaker grip can help players who struggle with hooked shots by promoting a club face that closes less rapidly through impact.

What is an oversize golf grip?

Oversize (or "Jumbo") Golf Grips promotes lighter grip pressure and can help relieve hand and wrist strain from overgripping. Lighter grip pressure increases control and swing consistency for target-focused accuracy.

Do larger golf grips help wrist pain?

When a golfer with larger hands uses an oversized golf grip, they will notice improved wrist action, decreased grip pressure, relief of pain, and potentially some better ball trajectory as well. Certainly, these are all benefits that any golfer could get used to.

Is golf hard on your hips?

However, golf has its moments of violence, power and strength that take a toll on the body. Hip pain in golf is often the result of repetitive motion, rotational torques, ball striking, and even the walking can create injuries to the body. The hip is vital to these activities in golf.

Can I play golf with a hip replacement?

Can you golf again? The great thing about total hip replacement is that golfers will be able to play again. Surgeons recommend that patients wait about 12 weeks before attempting golf. At this point, the hip should have less pain and discomfort during swings.