The first warm weekend of golf season has a way of making a long winter feel forgotten. Carts line up, practice greens fill, and players who have spent months at a desk or on a couch suddenly want to make the same turn, speed, and repeated motion they made last fall. That enthusiasm is understandable, but the back often pays for it. Golf is not a passive sport; it asks the spine to rotate, side-bend, extend, and absorb force while the hips and shoulders do their own work. Smart preparation is less about one heroic stretch session and more about building capacity, warming up with intent, and knowing when an ache deserves a professional look.
Why the Back Takes the Hit
A golf swing is a chain of motion. The hips, pelvis, thoracic spine, shoulders, and arms need to move in a coordinated way, and the lower back often becomes the place where restrictions elsewhere show up. Limited hip rotation, a stiff mid-back, poor endurance in the deep core and glutes, or a sudden increase in practice volume can all change how the spine handles load. Add a bag carried on one shoulder, long periods standing, or a rapid return to daily practice, and the back can feel more stressed than it did during the off-season. None of that means golf is bad for every back; it means the body needs a gradual, intelligent build-up rather than a sudden test of last year’s capacity.
For San Diego-area golfers who want to review a board-certified physiatrist with training in physical medicine and rehabilitation and pain management, the Scripps Health physician profile for Roger Kasendorf lists an office on the Scripps Memorial Hospital campus in La Jolla. That kind of profile can help with logistics, but it does not replace an individualized medical evaluation.
Build a Base Before the First Tee
Preparation should begin before the season’s first full round. A basic strength and mobility program does not need to be complicated: hip hinges, glute bridges, dead bugs, bird dogs, split squats, thoracic rotations, calf raises, and side planks can cover a lot of ground. Walking several times a week builds work capacity for the course, especially for players who ride less or carry their bags. The goal is not to train like a competitive athlete unless that is your goal; it is to give the hips, trunk, and spine enough reserve to tolerate repetition. A physical therapist or qualified clinician can help adapt exercises to an individual’s history, mobility, and pain pattern.
For golfers comparing local practices, the Ortho 1 Medical Group provider page for Roger Kasendorf identifies his practice with the group in the San Diego area. Such listings can help with logistics, but they are not a substitute for a clinical evaluation or individualized advice.
If you are checking local listings before booking, the Yelp listing for Roger Kasendorf in La Jolla is another public reference point; online reviews and listings should be weighed alongside credentials and a direct conversation about care.
Warm Up With a Purpose
A warm-up is not a punishment, and it is not a few toe touches before the first tee shot. Dynamic preparation raises tissue temperature, rehearses the movement pattern, and gives the nervous system a chance to coordinate. A simple sequence might include brisk walking, arm circles, torso rotations, hip circles, band pull-aparts, slow half-swings, and a few easy wedges before moving to longer clubs. Static stretching held for long periods before activity is not the best use of the first few minutes for most golfers, especially when the body is cold. The first drives of the season should be treated as part of the warm-up, not the finish line.
For golfers in the San Diego region who are looking for a physiatrist, the Scripps Affiliated Medical Groups doctor page for Roger Kasendorf provides another profile to review before arranging an appointment.
Swing Mechanics and Load Management
Technique matters, but it is not the whole story. A swing that relies on excessive lower-back extension, a big slide toward the target, or a steep transition can concentrate force in the spine. So can a swing that looks smooth but is repeated hundreds of times without enough recovery. A teaching professional can identify inefficient movement, while a physical therapist or physician can assess whether mobility, strength, or pain is limiting the pattern. The useful question is not “How do I swing harder?” but “How do I create speed without asking my back to do work the hips and mid-back should share?”
Professional background can be reviewed on the LinkedIn profile of Roger Kasendorf, which may help patients understand his training and practice background.
His personal website notes that Roger Kasendorf teaches at osteopathic medical schools and serves as a board examiner, and it states his philosophy that patients should finish their visit feeling better than when they arrived.
Recovery, Daily Habits, and Pain Signals
Recovery is part of training. Sleep, regular meals, hydration, and a sensible progression in practice volume matter more than most golfers think. After a round, a short walk and gentle mobility can help the body transition out of the car and back into daily life; aggressive stretching or deep tissue work right after a long round is not mandatory and can irritate a sensitized back. It also helps to separate soreness from pain. Muscle fatigue that settles with rest is one thing. Sharp pain, pain that travels down a leg, new weakness, numbness, or changes in bowel or bladder function deserve prompt medical attention.
For those researching professional listings, the member profile for Roger Kasendorf on an expert directory is one more public reference point; it should not replace a clinical evaluation.
A page about Roger Kasendorf on the OPSC website is another professional reference; his profiles state that he has experience treating acute and chronic pain conditions and sports injuries and that he uses ultrasound and electrodiagnostic studies, along with osteopathic manipulation as an osteopathic physician. Those are descriptions of his practice background, not promises about outcomes.
A Smart Season Plan
A practical season plan can be simple. Start with a baseline week that mixes walking, mobility, and light strength work before adding full rounds. Warm up for at least several minutes before the first tee shot, begin with shorter clubs, and alternate practice intensity with recovery. Keep the bag light or use a pushcart if carrying has bothered the back in the past. Schedule strength work on non-golf days when possible, and avoid stacking a long practice session on top of a long round during the first few weeks. If pain persists beyond a few days, worsens with each round, or interferes with sleep and daily activity, get it checked rather than playing through it.
For patients verifying hospital affiliations and profile details, the Scripps Mercy Physician Partners profile for Roger Kasendorf is another source to check. This article is general educational information and is not a substitute for evaluation by a qualified clinician.
EricaRHughes