Windshield Wiper Injury

I sometimes tried the forehand windshield wiper after seeing in on videos online.
I saw a few forehand videos online, and they all recommended ending with the windshield wiper,
with your palm facing in front of you, facing the net, and your fingers pointing to the left (if you are a righty).
I then tried it sometimes, not often, but once in a while.
It caused some pretty bad problems for my hand and wrist.
I haven't played in months.
I think turning the racket and wrist over caused the problem.
Maybe because I am a senior citizen.
Anyway, I won't try it anymore.
Just to let others know to be careful if using this.
 
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saw a lot of silly fellas got injured in ur way m8...........if no proper footwork/weight-shifting/shoulder-rotation n only arming the ball, well........don't do it. simple. otherwise:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D.............
 

nyta2

Hall of Fame
I sometimes tried the forehand windshield wiper after seeing in on videos online.
I saw a few forehand videos online, and they all recommended ending with the windshield wiper,
with your palm facing in front of you, facing the net, and your fingers pointing to the left (if you are a righty).
I then tried it sometimes, not often, but once in a while.
It caused some pretty bad problems for my hand and wrist.
I haven't played in months.
I think turning the racket and wrist over caused the problem.
Maybe because I am a senior citizen.
Anyway, I won't try it anymore.
Just to let others know to be careful if using this.
i got injured a long time ago when i "forced" windshield wiper finish (ie. i had an image of "rolling over the ball").
but later discovered that it's more of a "release".
if you've ever played golf, the concept is the same, you have to allow your forearms to "release" to get the club face squared at contact, but you're not "forcing" the release (when i did, i ended up hooking the ball)
main tip is to relax, loosen your grip (even hold with 3 fingers), don't swing hard, and play with allow the "release" to happen through contact... should feel like you're throwing the racquet at the ball.
 

SystemicAnomaly

Bionic Poster
I sometimes tried the forehand windshield wiper after seeing in on videos online.
I saw a few forehand videos online, and they all recommended ending with the windshield wiper,
with your palm facing in front of you, facing the net, and your fingers pointing to the left (if you are a righty).
I then tried it sometimes, not often, but once in a while.
It caused some pretty bad problems for my hand and wrist.
I haven't played in months.
I think turning the racket and wrist over caused the problem.
Maybe because I am a senior citizen.
Anyway, I won't try it anymore.
Just to let others know to be careful if using this.
Dunno, I'm pushing 70 here. No problem hitting with a WW on a high % of shots -- not necessarily all Fh shots tho

I suspect that you are doing it incorrectly if you are experiencing hand & wrist. Forcing the action too much? Squeezing too firmly or locking the wrist too much? Some other flaw in mechanics

Note that the WW finish is a result of what happens at contact and just prior to contact. The WW finish is not just something you tack on to the stroke after the ball is gone. This means that the wiper action actually starts a bit before contact -- even though it is very difficult to see / detect from watching most videos.

A common implementation of the WW stroke will have the swingpath, for much of the forward swing, with a relatively shallow rise. (If that shallow swing is continued, it might appear that the ball will go over the top of the racket or will hit the top edge of the racket).

However, as the racket is about to intercept the incoming ball the vertical component is increased so that the swingpath becomes steeper. This is done by turning arm/hand so that the racket the head rises more quickly as it approaches the ball.

rn152Qv_d.webp

In the WW implementation seen below, we see that the path of the hand (in green) is different / simpler than the path of the racket head (red). Much of this is due to the rotation of the arm/hand that I mentioned previously.

db5423ac8946c52e9359beafcf547a8d.jpg
 

cortado

Professional
Windshield wiper isn't something you force, or even really something that you do intentionally. It happens unconsciously.
 
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i got injured a long time ago when i "forced" windshield wiper finish (ie. i had an image of "rolling over the ball").
but later discovered that it's more of a "release".
if you've ever played golf, the concept is the same, you have to allow your forearms to "release" to get the club face squared at contact, but you're not "forcing" the release (when i did, i ended up hooking the ball)
main tip is to relax, loosen your grip (even hold with 3 fingers), don't swing hard, and play with allow the "release" to happen through contact... should feel like you're throwing the racquet at the ball.

yep m8, all abt timing n relaxing ie staying loose. op said 'I have good footwork and did weight shifting and shoulder rotation -I was not just arming the ball' then must be tension/stiffness related.

same thing when u fall over, might be ok if relax n simply let it go n stay loose then ur body parts will surely cushion off n absorb the impact much better to avoid serious injuries. won't be pretty if trying hard to regain the balance w/ tensed up muscles/joints. dat's why we're desperately searching for the window ops for 'soft landing' lolololololololol:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D.......................
 
I was not squeezing it too firmly, and was not tense.

I'm wondering if maybe it's what SystemicAnomaly wrote above - that the windshield wiper motion
starts before hitting the ball. I did it afterwards, not before, which could have caused the problems,
by adding additional strain to my hand and wrist at the end of the swing.

Either way, I'll hold off on the windshield wiper forehand for a while until my hand and wrist feel better.
Maybe try it in the future, not sure though.
 
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My hand and wrist are getting better over the last 3 months, since the WW injury.
However, I'm still a little uncomfortable writing, although that is getting better.
Most likely the problem with writing is caused by my hand, not wrist.
I hope I don't have a permanent injury.
 
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every1's different n might have different way of doing the same thing..............but, 1 thing's common/same for sure m8, ie u'll be in pain if doing wrong thing n gonna be better if stop doing it. 1 man's medicine another man's poison n not sure hw many silly fellas out there hurting themselves by imitating fed/nad/joker/etcetc. tons of bullshitt vids online focus on their arms/wrists/hands in slomo hardly mention the power source from legs/torso, mislead mils 'tennis players' getting hurt then quitting tennis:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:..............
 

Slicerman

Professional
IMO, there's deliberate windshield wiper and there's passive windshield wiper. There are legitimate situations for both, especially passive.

Passive ww is safe and good because it is the natural outcome of using body's momentum and the racquet is just naturally falling in place.

Deliberate ww is fairly safe if used conservatively and sparingly, sometimes used in situations like split-second adjustments, or when there's not enough time to prepare your body for an incoming ball.

You mention being a senior citizen, in that case I would recommend mainly hitting 'drive forehands' rather than 'heavy spin forehands'. Drive forehand aka flat, will be more energy efficient and less demanding on the body.

So in other words, instead of 'coming underneath' the ball and trying to whip it upwards with spin, just 'come through' the ball with a forward swing.

As for the injury. I don't recommend playing until its fully healed. Once you're ready to play again also incorporate some rehab exercise routines to keep yourself healthy.
 

SteveI

Legend
IMO, there's deliberate windshield wiper and there's passive windshield wiper. There are legitimate situations for both, especially passive.

Passive ww is safe and good because it is the natural outcome of using body's momentum and the racquet is just naturally falling in place.

Deliberate ww is fairly safe if used conservatively and sparingly, sometimes used in situations like split-second adjustments, or when there's not enough time to prepare your body for an incoming ball.

You mention being a senior citizen, in that case I would recommend mainly hitting 'drive forehands' rather than 'heavy spin forehands'. Drive forehand aka flat, will be more energy efficient and less demanding on the body.

So in other words, instead of 'coming underneath' the ball and trying to whip it upwards with spin, just 'come through' the ball with a forward swing.

As for the injury. I don't recommend playing until its fully healed. Once you're ready to play again also incorporate some rehab exercise routines to keep yourself healthy.


Well stated and great advice. Seniors should be driving through the ball with a bit of natural topspin created by the swing path and RHS. Trying to swing like a 18 to 25 year old is a road you do not want to travel. Also... unless you are a super athlete the timing and hand eye skills to execute the WW forehand are not really there. Trying to do it in practice is one thing... trying to do it live (match play) is not the percentage play. As a senior my goal is to get behind the ball as soon as I can and contact the ball as far out in front as possible therefore transferring as much weight and energy from my big muscles as possible. If you can take the ball early and take time away.. that is very important.
 
In hindsight and physical therapy, I know the injury to my right hand and wrist
was caused by doing the windshield wiper too extremely.
I was twisting my right hand and the racket a lot to the the left when it was above my left shoulder, after hitting the ball.
Instead, I should have done a very slight and subtle turn
of my right hand very, very slightly to the left before hitting the ball.
And down below, not above my left shoulder.
This subtle hand turn is a natural move which I could have and probably would have done without even trying to do it.
 
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socallefty

G.O.A.T.
If you are moving around your wrist too much, then you are probably not doing it right. If you try to hit a loopy (high curve shape) topspin ball hard (high pace, high RPM) especially DTL or inside-out at a medium to high contact height, a windshield wiper followthrough should happen automatically without some conscious wrist manipulation especially after contact. You shouldn’t be forcing any deliberate wrist motion on any shot.

When a player doesn’t hit the ball early with full extension, then it becomes harder to generate high topspin and many players then try to compensate for the limited extension late contact point with too much wrist motion to brush up on the ball. That can lead to wrist injuries easily especially if you play with stiff strings.
 
If you are moving around your wrist too much, then you are probably not doing it right. If you try to hit a loopy (high curve shape) topspin ball hard (high pace, high RPM) especially DTL or inside-out at a medium to high contact height, a windshield wiper followthrough should happen automatically without some conscious wrist manipulation especially after contact. You shouldn’t be forcing any deliberate wrist motion on any shot.

When a player doesn’t hit the ball early with full extension, then it becomes harder to generate high topspin and many players then try to compensate for the limited extension late contact point with too much wrist motion to brush up on the ball. That can lead to wrist injuries easily especially if you play with stiff strings.
I agree
 
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