A recent medical presentation by a senior team doctor of the Chinese national team has gone viral. It featured Wang Chuqin as the patient. This case study shed light on some of the unseen challenges Wang faced during the Paris Olympics, which might help piece together the puzzle of his unexpected early exit from the men’s singles. The mysterious injury, caused by unusual and intensified training, had been troubling him for a long time. Long enough for an accurate diagnosis and treatment before the Games. Long enough for the CNT—players, coaches, or staff—to have noticed or mentioned it. Yet, no one did, until now, even after over three months of shock and heavy public criticism following his loss in the singles.
Fortunately, yet unfortunately, this story likely only scratches the surface. It hints at deeper, possibly under-the-radar struggles Wang may have endured that remain hidden from public view.
Mysterious Shoulder Pain Found Incidentally
About the Viral Footage
This case study was presented at the 2nd China Chiropractic and Spine Health Summit in Shanghai on November 2, 2024, by Dr. Zhang Lewei, the senior team doctor of the China national team and Director of the Institute of Sports Medicine, General Administration of Sport of China.
The presentation detailed a special case involving Wang Chuqin at the Paris Olympics in August 2024. (Since it was shared publicly in a medical meeting, it’s reasonable to assume its release is permitted.) With the demanding pace of the Olympics, neither Wang nor the coaching staff reported any significant injuries, aside from ongoing tightness in his triceps. After winning mixed doubles gold and exiting early in singles, Wang got a chance to be examined by Dr. Zhang Lewei before the men’s team event. He was diagnosed with a triceps spasm linked to cervical spine issues, a condition strikingly similar to the injury former world champion Zhang Jike suffered at the London Olympics 12 years ago. Having handled that case before, Dr. Zhang was familiar with the condition.
When the team’s regular acupuncture and physical therapy failed, Dr. Zhang performed targeted nerve adjustments in the cervical spine area, leading to “an 80% improvement” in Wang’s condition shortly after. Just goes to show how the right treatment at the right time can make all the difference.
And More?
This case isn’t just about Wang’s injury; it also highlights the critical importance of accurate diagnosis and timely treatment for elite athletes, especially on the world stage.
In the wake of this case presentation, a previously ignored piece of Wang Chuqin’s injury story from the documentary Blossom in Paris: China National Table Tennis Team–More Than Champions1 (released by China Central Television in August 2024, likely filmed in June) gained significant public attention.
The documentary revealed that Wang had been experiencing persistent and mysterious body pain that may have started earlier this year. Instead of proper medical attention, his coach seemingly brushed off the injury as something “normal” and that he needed to “push through.” With everyone on the CNT, including Wang himself, maintaining near-silence about the matter, who knows what else might be hidden beneath the surface?
These newly surfaced details raise serious questions about potential negligence or lapses in the coaching and support staff of the Chinese national team. Did these medical oversights directly affect Wang’s Olympic performance, which fell short of his pre-Olympic form? Could more have been done earlier? For now, these questions remain unanswered.
Updated on Feb 26, 2025
More and more pieces of the puzzle have fallen into place recently.
As part of reflecting on 2024, Wang Chuqin spoke up for the first time about the backstory and his injury during the Paris Olympics in a special interview. (Check out the full translated Interview by Table Tennis World)
In early June, during closed training in Chengdu, Wang began suffering from unbearable shoulder pain that significantly affected his forehand. Cortisone shots and the strongest painkillers failed to ease it, not to mention regular treatments like acupuncture, strengthening exercises, etc. The seemingly incurable pain persisted for over two months and stayed with him throughout the Olympics. Alongside the mental stress, it reached a breaking point after he won mixed doubles gold in Paris. The strain on his arm was even worse than he or anyone else had imagined.
Now, when I rewatch footage of Wang’s Olympic matches (and even the post-Olympics Asian Championships), I finally notice his stiff movements and the odd expressions on his face—unusual for a player usually full of confidence. The truth was hidden in the small details: not just the long-ignored injury, but also how the CNT overlooked him. (I talk about this in another post if you’re interested. Fair warning, though, it’s a long read.)
We still don’t know exactly what caused Wang Chuqin’s injury, but years of brutal training are likely a major factor. Fortunately, at the Asian Cup in February 2025, where Wang stood holding the champion trophy, he responded to public concerns. He said that after discussions with his coaches, he’s now trying a more measured training approach, focusing on strategy and sustainability rather than sheer intensity.2
Good to know. Good to keep updating—just not on the injury front. Let’s stick to his progress instead!
Original Transcript of Dr. Zhang’s Presentation, Translated
“Enhanced Applications of Spinal Therapies”
Let me introduce the enhanced applications of spinal therapies for competitive athletes. It is widely recognized that many spinal therapies focus on addressing spinal misalignment, pain, and disc herniation. These treatments aim to provide prompt intervention, mitigate pain, and restore functional capability, enabling patients to return to daily activities.
However, these standard approaches are insufficient for athletes, particularly those competing at an elite level. Beyond alleviating pain, supporting their return to training and competition at the highest level is essential, where they strive for career-defining achievements.
This level of care requires sports medicine professionals, including physicians, rehabilitation specialists, physiotherapists, and sports injury prevention specialists, to have advanced theoretical knowledge and technical expertise, which is quite challenging.
This athlete is an Olympic champion in table tennis. I wonder if anyone might guess who he is, although I can’t reveal his name here. He won gold in mixed doubles at the Paris Olympics. But afterward, as many of you know, he lost in the singles match, exiting in the round of 16. We didn’t suspect he was injured at that point, and he hadn’t mentioned it either. The team therapist attended to him regularly. One day, while I was on duty, responsible for table tennis and familiar with the coaching staff, I asked, “What’s going on today?”
They mentioned that the athlete’s triceps muscle had been tight for several days. Upon examination, I found significant stiffness in the muscle. Very stiff. Due to the limited time and resources, we couldn’t perform a complete examination. However, based on my experience, I immediately noticed something was wrong with the muscle. I asked, “How have you been treating this?” They replied that they had tried acupuncture and physiotherapy, but the muscles remained stiff. I noted, “This is exactly what we encountered with Zhang Jike and Liu Zige in the past.”
I then discussed the situation with his coach, Coach Xiao, indicating that it was a triceps spasm related to the CERVICAL SPINE. I recommended electro-acupuncture initially, with a plan to adjust the nerves related to his cervical spine if the results were unsatisfactory. The electro-acupuncture provided limited relief then, so I proceeded with the cervical spine area treatment.
This case exemplifies the effective use of spinal etiology in treating sports injuries. Once again, we applied prior experience to resolve this injury. This occurred during the Men’s Team competition at the Paris Olympics.
Original Transcript of Blossom in Paris (Injury Part), Translated
After wrapping up two hours of technical training, Wang Chuqin still has a 40-minute strength and conditioning session lined up at 11 a.m.
The recent training load is causing noticeable reactions in his body.
Wang Chuqin says: “Normally, at this stage of intensified training, I shouldn’t be feeling pain like this anywhere.”
Strength and Conditioning Coach responds: “This kind of training is bound to cause some body reactions.”
Coach Xiao adds: “Exactly, that’s part of the process. Hardships come first, and that’s a good thing. You’ve naturally reached a way you enjoy. (Pushing through the pain to see real progress.)”
See Also
Wang Chuqin and the Mystery of CNT’s Coaching Neglect
“Giving my all to be my best self.” Interview by Table Tennis World
Wang’s Recent Slump: He’s More Than a Non-Stop Ping-pong Machine
References