How to Fix Hip Pain for Golfers in Nashville
Hip pain is a common issue I see in golfers.
It makes sense—your hips are responsible for both mobility and power in the golf swing. When something is off, it shows up quickly as pain, stiffness, or loss of performance.
The question is:
How do you actually fix it?
1. Start With a Proper Assessment
Before you try to “fix” hip pain, you have to understand what’s actually causing it.
Hip pain isn’t always just a hip problem.
It could be:
A mobility limitation in the hips
A strength or control issue
A swing or technique factor
Restrictions in the ankle or mid-back putting extra stress on the hips
Even individual differences in hip structure
There are a lot of possibilities, which is why guessing usually doesn’t work.
In my clinic, I use the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) movement screen along with other assessments to break this down.
This helps answer:
What your body does well
Where you’re limited
How it connects to your golf swing
From there, we can build a plan that actually fits you, not just a generic program.
2. Be Specific With Mobility (Not Just More Stretching)
The hip moves in a lot of directions:
Flexion (forward)
Extension (backward)
Internal and external rotation
If you’re just doing random stretches, you’re likely missing what you actually need.
The key is:
- Finding the specific direction you’re limited in
- Applying the right amount of work
You don’t need to spend hours stretching every week.
You need:
The right movements
Done consistently
With enough intensity to create change
3. Build Strength in the Hips
Strength is what protects the joint.
You can have all the flexibility in the world, but if you don’t have strength and control, your body won’t trust that range—and that’s when pain shows up.
For golfers, this means:
Strong glutes
Strength in rotation
Control through different positions
We want hips that are prepared for the demands of the swing—not just able to get into positions, but able to own them.
4. Don’t Forget Power
This is the piece most people miss.
The hips are the engine of your golf swing. They produce speed and transfer energy.
If you:
Take time off
Don’t train explosively
Then jump back into swinging hard
Your hips aren’t ready for that demand—and that’s when things flare up.
You don’t need a ton of power work, but you do need some:
Jumps
Fast, controlled lifts
Rotational movements
A little goes a long way here.
Conclusion
There’s no one-size-fits-all fix for hip pain.
But most golfers struggling with it are missing one (or more) of these:
A clear assessment
Specific mobility work
Strength in the hips
Power training
Once you bring those together, things start to change quickly.
Fix Your Hip Pain the Right Way
If you’re in the Nashville area and dealing with hip pain during your golf swing, you don’t have to figure it out on your own.
At Excel, we:
Identify what’s actually causing your pain
Build a personalized plan
Combine hands-on care with targeted exercise
So you can get back to playing pain-free and with more power.
