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What injuries does golf cause?

Author

Emma Payne

Published Jan 14, 2026

The 5 Most Common Golf Injuries (and What to Do About Them)

  • Back Pain. ...
  • Rotator Cuff Injury. ...
  • Tennis Elbow and Golf Elbow. ...
  • Knee Pain and Damage. ...
  • Tendinitis in the Wrists.

What are the dangers of golf?

7 Common Risks On The Golf Course And How To Avoid Them

  • Injuring someone else. There are several famous examples of golfers hitting a wayward shot which has caused serious injury to another person. ...
  • Injuring yourself. ...
  • Erratic golfers. ...
  • Theft. ...
  • Slippery surfaces. ...
  • Wildlife. ...
  • The sun.

What is the most common injury in golf?

8 of the Most Common Golf Injuries

  1. Golf Back Injuries or Pain. ...
  2. Rotator Cuff Injury. ...
  3. Golfer's Elbow. ...
  4. Golf Wrist Injury Like Tendonitis. ...
  5. Knee Pain or Injury. ...
  6. Foot and Ankle Injuries. ...
  7. Golf Hip Injury. ...
  8. Sunburn.

What muscles should hurt after golf?

While the most common area you're likely to feel some tightness is in your hamstrings, soreness can occur anywhere (calves, quads, groin). Knee pain on the other hand, maybe a sign of something a little more serious.

What body part does golfers injure most often?

One of the most — if not the single most — common issues for golfers is lower back pain. Spinal compression and prolonged bending play a role in stressing the back over time. Although this type of ailment isn't usually traumatic, continuing to play with back pain can lead to other injuries, including herniated discs.

24 related questions found

Can you get injured in golf?

Although golf is a low-impact sport, it's associated with several injuries. Many golfing-related injuries are a result of poor mechanics or overuse. The most commonly injured area is the lower back. Other injured areas can include the elbow, wrist and hand, and shoulder.

Why does my body hurt after golf?

Golf puts a lot of strain on the muscles, tendons, and joints in your shoulders and they are susceptible to overuse injuries such as inflammation of the rotator cuff tendons, impingement syndrome and arthritis, and strain and sprain injuries.

Can you get tendonitis from golf?

If you've been noticing a gradual increase in wrist pain after golfing, it may be tendinitis. Wrist tendinitis comes with overuse or poor form. Stress from swinging the club causes tiny tears in your wrist tendons. Those tendons get inflamed and cause pain.

Why am I so tired after playing golf?

While playing golf may not require as much physical energy as a sport like basketball or football, fatigue can set in during a full-length golf game as 18 holes take an average of four hours to complete. [ii] When fatigue sets in during golf, it usually occurs during the final or back nine holes.

Is golf a good workout?

Golf can be good for your health and your heart. Walking an average course for a round of golf can be between five to seven kilometres. If you walk 18 holes three to five times a week, you'll get an optimal amount of endurance exercise for your heart.

Is playing golf good for your health?

Playing golf is good for your heart

So, golf exercises your heart and keeps your heart rate up. This will naturally lower your risk for heart disease and other cardiovascular issues, as well as potentially lowering your levels of 'bad' cholesterol. Regularly playing golf may even lead to an increase in life expectancy.

Can golf cause knee problems?

The top three golf-related injuries are: Meniscal and ligament tears. Tendonitis and tendinopathy. Provocation of degenerative change/osteoarthritis.

Can golf cause groin strain?

If you have pain in your groin after golfing, it may be due to decreased hip motion, which causes stress on the muscles surrounding your hip. Try adjusting your feet in your golf stance to relieve the discomfort.

How many golfers get injured a year?

A 2016 paper from the National Health Statistics Report, which investigated over 8.6 million reported recreational injuries, states that golf—which was grouped with tennis, badminton and bowling—had a rate of 1.8 injuries for every 1,000 persons.

Can golf cause rib pain?

Golfing and Ribs

Nonetheless, rib injuries are a relatively uncommon problem in golf. If you do damage your ribs playing golf, you'll feel pain when swinging and in some cases see bruising around the affected rib.

Can playing golf hurt your neck?

Neck pain tends to develop in golfers on the lead side of their neck. It tends to occur due to fatigue in muscles and over practice. Tension in your lead arm places strain on your neck. Protruding your chin positions your neck in an extended position increasing compression.

Is hitting golf balls good exercise?

Conclusion – Hitting balls is most likely light exercise, but certainly not intense “golf exercise”. It probably falls into the 150 minutes of moderate activity that the American Heart Association recommends per week.

How do you mentally reset golf?

Using the start of a new hole as an opportunity to reset your mind is a great way to think about the mental game. When you walk onto the next tee, take a moment to collect your thoughts, take a deep breath, and start thinking about how you are going to conquer the hole in front of you.

How far do you walk on an average golf course?

The World Golf Foundation estimates that golfers who walk an 18-hole course clock about 5 miles and burn up to 2,000 calories. But here's the rub: About two-thirds of golf in the U.S. is played in motorized carts.

Can golf cause a herniated disc?

Treating Back Pain from Golf

Repeated and extreme movements can potentially cause disc injuries, including disc herniation or a ruptured disc. These conditions are most often treated with pain management therapies to address the severe pain, followed by a long-term program of rehab and strengthening.

Is golfer's elbow serious?

Left untreated, golfer's elbow could cause permanent damage like limiting your elbow's range of motion, causing chronic pain and weakening your grip. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have persistent elbow pain.

Where is golfer's elbow located?

Medial epicondylitis is also known as golfer's elbow, baseball elbow, suitcase elbow, or forehand tennis elbow. It's characterized by pain from the elbow to the wrist on the inside (medial side) of the elbow. The pain is caused by damage to the tendons that bend the wrist toward the palm.

Should I be sore after golfing?

Low, middle, and upper back pain are common symptoms of golf-related injuries. Golf is a game of muscle memory, and its repetitive motions can lead to inflammation, strains, and other injuries of the muscles and discs of the spine, throwing you off your game.

Does golfing build muscle?

Golf is good at working the buttocks, lower back, and abdominal muscles. This will improve your balance and give you greater strength, mobility, and flexibility. Good core exercise will also take the strain off other muscles and reduce back pain.

Can playing golf cause chest pain?

Chest wall pain that is caused by a strained or pulled muscle often happens as a result of overuse. You may have lifted something heavy or injured yourself playing sports. For example, gymnastics, rowing, tennis, and golf all involve repetitive motion and may cause chronic strains.