What's wrong with Djokovic shoulder?

droliver

Professional
He probably has some type of acute on chronic “impingement syndrome” based on where they’re massaging him and on his occupation as a tennis player. This is a very common tennis issue at all levels..

In layman’s term, the 4 tendons that make up your rotator cuff pass between your collar bone (clavicle) and shoulder blade (scapula). Between overuse and age, you tend to get thickening of the bone at the edge or lip of the scapula with bone spurring and the rotator cuff starts to chaff and tear against these bony ridges. When you extend and externally rotate your shoulder, you narrow that space the tendon passes through and it exaggerates the pinching of it. In tennis movements like a serve, overhead, or ball toss with your off hand (like Djokovic) would be the ones that pinch the most. His was apparently so inflamed that the external rotation with his 2HBH was now triggering it even though that movement doesn’t have as much extension. I assume trying to redirect 90-100 mph ground strokes from the biggest hitter in tennis (Stanimal) has something to do with that.


Over time you get chronic tendinitis and eventually a formal tear of the rotator cuff if it persists. The surgery for this, “subacrimial decompression”, is a common and short surgery where they shave back the bone and trim any spurs to give the tendon room to glide. I’ve had surgery for this myself on both shoulders, one from tennis on my serving arm and the other this summer from age related changes and a broken collar bone 30 years ago.
 

mwym

Professional
@droliver Thank you for the explanation!
edit:
Do you know how long it takes to recover and start playing again after surgery?
And compared to surgery he had on his elbow, is it similarly invasive, meaning is recovery time similar? It is left arm shoulder 'compared' to right hand elbow, but you know that already ...
 
Last edited:
D

Deleted member 766172

Guest
He probably has some type of acute on chronic “impingement syndrome” based on where they’re massaging him and on his occupation as a tennis player. This is a very common tennis issue at all levels..

In layman’s term, the 4 tendons that make up your rotator cuff pass between your collar bone (clavicle) and shoulder blade (scapula). Between overuse and age, you tend to get thickening of the bone at the edge or lip of the scapula with bone spurring and the rotator cuff starts to chaff and tear against these bony ridges. When you extend and externally rotate your shoulder, you narrow that space the tendon passes through and it exaggerates the pinching of it. In tennis movements like a serve, overhead, or ball toss with your off hand (like Djokovic) would be the ones that pinch the most. His was apparently so inflamed that the external rotation with his 2HBH was now triggering it even though that movement doesn’t have as much extension. I assume trying to redirect 90-100 mph ground strokes from the biggest hitter in tennis (Stanimal) has something to do with that.


Over time you get chronic tendinitis and eventually a formal tear of the rotator cuff if it persists. The surgery for this, “subacrimial decompression”, is a common and short surgery where they shave back the bone and trim any spurs to give the tendon room to glide. I’ve had surgery for this myself on both shoulders, one from tennis on my serving arm and the other this summer from age related changes and a broken collar bone 30 years ago.
Do you know how long it takes to recover and start playing again after surgery?
 

Keystoner

Semi-Pro
I'm a one handed backhand guy... I've heard you use the non-dominant arm more than the dominant with a two handed backhand. I can see this when I think of a baseball swing—the top hand is the dominant. For this alone, I give Djokovic the benefit of the doubt. I just can't attest personally to the mechanics of a THBH.
 
He went down 2 sets to 0 against Stan lol...but in all seriousness I hope it’s not a lingering issue. Hate to see injuries
 
He probably has some type of acute on chronic “impingement syndrome” based on where they’re massaging him and on his occupation as a tennis player. This is a very common tennis issue at all levels..

In layman’s term, the 4 tendons that make up your rotator cuff pass between your collar bone (clavicle) and shoulder blade (scapula). Between overuse and age, you tend to get thickening of the bone at the edge or lip of the scapula with bone spurring and the rotator cuff starts to chaff and tear against these bony ridges. When you extend and externally rotate your shoulder, you narrow that space the tendon passes through and it exaggerates the pinching of it. In tennis movements like a serve, overhead, or ball toss with your off hand (like Djokovic) would be the ones that pinch the most. His was apparently so inflamed that the external rotation with his 2HBH was now triggering it even though that movement doesn’t have as much extension. I assume trying to redirect 90-100 mph ground strokes from the biggest hitter in tennis (Stanimal) has something to do with that.


Over time you get chronic tendinitis and eventually a formal tear of the rotator cuff if it persists. The surgery for this, “subacrimial decompression”, is a common and short surgery where they shave back the bone and trim any spurs to give the tendon room to glide. I’ve had surgery for this myself on both shoulders, one from tennis on my serving arm and the other this summer from age related changes and a broken collar bone 30 years ago.
Nice detail. Cheers for that
 

Badabing888

Hall of Fame
He probably has some type of acute on chronic “impingement syndrome” based on where they’re massaging him and on his occupation as a tennis player. This is a very common tennis issue at all levels..

In layman’s term, the 4 tendons that make up your rotator cuff pass between your collar bone (clavicle) and shoulder blade (scapula). Between overuse and age, you tend to get thickening of the bone at the edge or lip of the scapula with bone spurring and the rotator cuff starts to chaff and tear against these bony ridges. When you extend and externally rotate your shoulder, you narrow that space the tendon passes through and it exaggerates the pinching of it. In tennis movements like a serve, overhead, or ball toss with your off hand (like Djokovic) would be the ones that pinch the most. His was apparently so inflamed that the external rotation with his 2HBH was now triggering it even though that movement doesn’t have as much extension. I assume trying to redirect 90-100 mph ground strokes from the biggest hitter in tennis (Stanimal) has something to do with that.


Over time you get chronic tendinitis and eventually a formal tear of the rotator cuff if it persists. The surgery for this, “subacrimial decompression”, is a common and short surgery where they shave back the bone and trim any spurs to give the tendon room to glide. I’ve had surgery for this myself on both shoulders, one from tennis on my serving arm and the other this summer from age related changes and a broken collar bone 30 years ago.

Thanks for your post.

Clearly playing Stan rather than Kudla and dealing with Stan’s weight of shot had an effect of going from “almost pain free” to too painful when he quit last night:

 

Mainad

Bionic Poster
He's suffered with occasional shoulder problems from time to time over the course of his career. As far back as 2011 (his best season ever) he retired from the final of Cincinnati with a sore shoulder (still went on to win the US Open but then flunked out of a Davis Cup tie). None have ever proved serious enough to require surgery or stall his career in any way. Not sure if this one will prove to be any different.
 

deaner2211

Semi-Pro
I'm a one handed backhand guy... I've heard you use the non-dominant arm more than the dominant with a two handed backhand. I can see this when I think of a baseball swing—the top hand is the dominant. For this alone, I give Djokovic the benefit of the doubt. I just can't attest personally to the mechanics of a THBH.
I always thought in baseball the dominant arm is where the power comes from and the non dominant arm keeps the momentum during the follow through.
 

Mr Feeny

Hall of Fame
I dont remember the details but his swing was off at Wimbledon 2017 when he retired against Berdy. I think it might have been his shoulder. If so, I wonder if it's the same one.
 

Zardoz7/12

Hall of Fame
At least he doesn't have tendinitis in the rotator cuff, that hurts like hell.

I hope he'll be fine but he'll need to rest up for a little while.
 

droliver

Professional
At least he doesn't have tendinitis in the rotator cuff, that hurts like hell.

That's what impingement syndrome produces, an inflammatory tendonitis of the cuff tendons. It's usually the supraspinatus muscle tendon that gets dominantly involved.

When you see players often using elastic bands to train, they're doing that to strengthen their external rotators. That stabilizes the head of you humerus in the shoulder and makes it less likely to grind against the acromium (part of you shoulder blade)
 

Badabing888

Hall of Fame
It's the curse of New York. Wawrinka unable to defend his 2016 title in 2017, Nadal has to pull out in 2018 of his 2017 defence, and 2018 champ Djokovic now retires hurt in 2019. Good luck to Pablo Andujar this time next year is all I'm saying.

yes forgot Roger is the last player to defend his US Open title in 2008.
 

RFRF

Semi-Pro
Nothing wrong with him. Everyone knows it that’s why he was booed. He knew he couldn’t go toe to toe with big stan when big stan is in that zone so he did what he does best. Retire. Pathetic and he asks why nobody likes him.
 
Don't be silly.
He had a medic out on multiple days.
It's been an issue the entire tournament.

I've had the exact same injury to the non-dom shoulder
It is bad
 

jbm

Rookie
Its not his shoulder. Its his neck...he has an impingement at C4/C5 discs.
Yes. That's why we always see him futzing with his neck, side to side. That habit has been going on for years and it's finally catching up to him. Also, the trainers seemed to be consistently massaging the back part of the shoulder around the teres minor. Issues there tend to be less of a long term problem than conditions involving the front or top. I still see him giving a good chase to Roger and Rafa.
 

RaulRamirez

Legend
That's what he's saying.


For right-hander, left arm is the top in two handed backhand. Left arm is dominant arm in two handed backhand righty.
[/QUOTE
That's what he's saying.


For right-hander, left arm is the top in two handed backhand. Left arm is dominant arm in two handed backhand righty.
I'm confused, as sports-wise, I do everything righty (and also write and eat righty: throw, shoot hoops, hit a one-handed bh, etc. My dominant arm is my right. When I swing a bat, my right arm is on top...or I'd be hitting cross-handed.
 

BlueB

Legend
I'm confused, as sports-wise, I do everything righty (and also write and eat righty: throw, shoot hoops, hit a one-handed bh, etc. My dominant arm is my right. When I swing a bat, my right arm is on top...or I'd be hitting cross-handed.
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