In most cases, you can get back to golf after spine surgery or a herniated disc. After surgery for a herniated disc, the return is usually gradual: putting at around four weeks, short irons with a partial swing at around eight weeks, and the driver, or the full swing, at around twelve weeks.
These timelines vary with the type of surgery, each person’s recovery and clearance from the doctor who is following you.
Can I keep playing golf with a herniated disc?
Often, yes. Patients with a herniated disc or another spine problem, even without any indication for surgery, are frequently told to stop everything. For most people, that is not true.
Whatever treatment we choose, the goal is for you to get back to golf or to any other sport. The idea is to choose the smallest treatment that gives you back the movement and the freedom to do whatever you want. While the pain is strong, your game may need a break or some adjustments.
Why does the golf swing put so much load on the spine?
Because the swing combines fast trunk rotation, side bending and load on the lower back, especially with the driver. A classic golf biomechanics study (Hosea et al., in the book Science and Golf, 1990) measured, during a 5-iron swing, an average compression of the lumbar spine of about eight times body weight. Running puts about three times body weight on it (review of low back pain in golf, Asian Journal of Sports Medicine).
That is why the return starts with low-rotation movements and ends with the full swing.
When can I play golf again after herniated disc surgery?
After surgery for a herniated disc, the return usually follows three stages:
- Putting, at around four weeks. It is a movement that requires almost no trunk rotation.
- Short irons with a partial swing, at around eight weeks.
- Driver and full swing, at around twelve weeks after surgery.
These timelines are close to what spine surgeons recommend in other countries. A survey of 523 members of the North American Spine Society, published in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine in 2011 (Abla et al.), found that the most common recommendation was a return to golf between four and eight weeks after lumbar microdiscectomy (study abstract on PubMed; AO Spine review on golf and spine surgery).
Before those stages, in the first weeks, it helps to walk every day and avoid sitting for long periods: I advise getting up every hour or hour and a half to walk and move around.
And after a spinal fusion?
The return is slower. According to the same AO Spine review, which gathers the few studies available, in one of them, published in Clinical Spine Surgery in 2020 (Jain et al.), the 13 golfers who had a lumbar fusion returned to play after 8.6 months on average, with a slightly shorter drive. In another, in Sports Health in 2017 (Shifflett et al.), 52% of patients returned to playing on the course (AO Spine review).
After neck (cervical spine) surgery, a study published in Cureus in 2020 found 67.6% of golfers back on the course (Return to Golf, Tennis, and Swimming After Elective Cervical Spine Surgery).
How should I warm up my back before playing?
Warming up before a round is part of the return, not a detail. A simple exercise I recommend:
- Place the club across your back, at lower-back level, and hold it in the crook of your elbows.
- Gently rotate your trunk to both sides.
- Keep your spine in a neutral position, using your knees and hips to follow the movement.
Stretch before you start as well, and build up the power of your swing gradually during the warm-up.
When should I see a doctor?
Stop playing and see your doctor if, during or after golf, you have:
- Pain running down the leg that does not improve with rest
- Loss of strength in the foot or leg, or tripping
- New or increasing tingling
- Numbness between the legs or loss of bladder or bowel control (seek urgent care)
- Back pain that gets worse with every round instead of better
Some tingling or discomfort in the leg may last a few weeks after surgery, because of inflammation and handling of the nerve. If it gets worse, or comes with loss of strength, let your doctor know.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a cart instead of walking the course?
Walking usually helps recovery, but carrying the bag in the first weeks does not. Use a push cart or an electric trolley for the clubs. Carrying the bag is allowed from 12 weeks, together with the full swing.
Do I need to change my swing after spine surgery?
In most cases, no. What changes is the progression: putting at 4 weeks, partial swing at 8 and full swing at 12, always with a warm-up before playing.
Can I travel to play golf after surgery?
After the first week of healing, travel is usually allowed. To play, follow the return-to-golf stages and avoid carrying your golf bag at the airport in the first weeks.
I never had surgery but have back pain. Can I play?
In most cases, yes, with a warm-up and some adjustments. If the pain runs down your leg or does not improve within a few weeks, get an evaluation before going back to the course.
Get back on the course safely
If you play golf and have a herniated disc, or you are going to have spine surgery and want to know when you can play again, I can evaluate your case and plan the stages of your return with you, in person in Avaré or Londrina, at Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein in São Paulo, or by online consultation. Appointments via WhatsApp: +55 14 99790-1060.
Dr. Alexandre Jaccard, orthopedic surgeon, spine surgeon · CRM 116.476/SP – 27.412/PR · RQE 111.183
Practices in Avaré (SP), Londrina (PR) and São Paulo (SP), Brazil. Appointments: +55 14 99790-1060.
Published on November 3, 2026 · Reviewed on November 4, 2026
This content is for information only and does not replace a medical consultation. Text produced with the support of digital tools and reviewed by Dr. Alexandre Jaccard.
