Shoulder Pain in Golfers
Why the Shoulder Is Often the Messenger, Not the Problem
If you play golf and your shoulder has started talking back to you, you’re not alone. For some golfers it’s a dull ache after a round. For others, it’s pain at the top of the backswing, weakness through impact, or soreness that lingers for days.
Most people assume the shoulder is breaking down from overuse. That’s not usually what’s happening.
My Own Shoulder Was Heading the Same Direction
Last year, my shoulder started interfering with my golf game.
Nothing dramatic.
No single injury.
Just a growing sense that something wasn’t right.
Range sessions felt different.
Certain swings felt restricted.
And recovery wasn’t what it used to be.
What stood out to me wasn’t just the pain—it was how persistent it felt despite doing “the right things.” That experience sharpened something I already knew clinically.
Golf Exposes What the Body Can’t Compensate For Anymore
Golf is a rotational sport that demands:
Timing
Load transfer
Coordination across the entire body
When something upstream or downstream isn’t contributing properly—hips, thoracic spine, core—the shoulder often steps in to compensate.
Over time, that compensation shows up as:
Inflammation
Tightness
Weakness
Or pain that seems to come out of nowhere
The shoulder isn’t failing. It’s adapting—until it can’t.
Why Imaging Often Misses the Point
Many golfers get imaging that shows:
Mild degeneration
Tendon changes
“Normal for age” findings
Those findings may be real—but they rarely explain why the shoulder became symptomatic now. In my own case, the structure wasn’t the issue. The issue was how load, recovery, and systemic stress were interacting with movement.
The Metabolic Piece Most Golfers Never Consider
This was the turning point for me. As I made metabolic and recovery-focused changes—sleep, inflammation, internal stress load—my shoulder’s ability to tolerate golf improved. Not because I babied it. But because the tissue could finally respond again. Healthy tissue adapts. Stressed tissue survives. Golf has a way of revealing the difference.
What I See Clinically in Golfers With Shoulder Pain
In practice, golfers with shoulder pain often share patterns:
Limited thoracic rotation
Poor load transfer from hips
Nervous system guarding
Slower recovery between rounds
Treating the shoulder alone rarely solves the problem long-term. Understanding why the shoulder took on excess load does.
A Smarter Way to Look at Shoulder Pain in Golfers
At Joint Wave Des Moines, shoulder pain—especially in golfers—is approached by looking at the entire movement system.
Not just:
Where it hurts
But:
Why it had to compensate
Why recovery stalled
Why the tissue stopped adapting
When those questions are answered, the shoulder often settles down without being “fixed.”
If This Sounds Familiar
If shoulder pain is starting to affect your swing, your confidence, or your enjoyment of the game—and especially if it keeps returning—it may be time for a different perspective. If you’ve been out of the office for a while, we’re currently offering a limited number of reactivation consultationsdesigned to reassess movement, load, and tissue response.
No pressure. Just better information.
Final Thought
Shoulder pain in golfers isn’t a sign that your body is breaking down. More often, it’s a sign that something in the movement system has been carrying more load than it should. When the body gets the right information, it adapts remarkably well. Sometimes the most important step isn’t doing more — it’s looking in the right place.
Want to Learn More?
If shoulder pain is starting to affect your swing, your recovery, or your enjoyment of the game, a conversation may help clarify what’s actually driving the problem. I work with golfers by looking beyond symptoms to understand movement, load transfer, and tissue response — not just where it hurts.
Dr. Chad Rohlfsen. (the been there done that doc)
Spinal Tuning Chiropractic Center/Joint Wave Des Moines
📞 Call or Text: (515) 664-0667
OR just schedule your consultation TODAY! https://calendly.com/drchad-1/spinaltuning
📍 Des Moines, IA