The bodybuilding world has witnessed a handful of legends over the decades who have created a grand legacy for themselves. With eight consecutive Mr. Olympia titles, Ronnie Coleman is one of them. The champion who overtook the mass monster era with his impeccable conditioning and size came as an unbeatable force for many. However, his career drew to an end on a tragic note, with long-term injuries plaguing him to date.
In recent years, Coleman has undergone certain procedures that arrived as a potential solution to the intense damage done by multiple surgeries. The icon had been through a total of 13 operations on various parts of his spine, hips, and neck. After some botched treatments, the bodybuilder had lost hope of walking normally again.
However, things seem to be looking up now. The 59-year-old recently took fans on a journey through the first of many sessions at the MAD Recovery Center. Located in Abu Dhabi, the wellness facility aims to heal athletes through various forms of physiotherapy. Coleman’s first visit to the center saw progress in his diagnosis.
The vlog immediately jumped into the procedure, where the physiotherapist applied some cream and massaged the back tissues with a metal tool. The highlight of the session was the extensive red light therapy that the physiotherapist, Amr Ismail, swore by for effective healing.
“Red light is a nutrient that more or less feeds your cells. So something that’s restricted, lacks blood flow…or in general, just the quality of cells in that area, if they’re a little bit dysfunctional or lacking, this is like a really nice boost for them.”
According to Ismail, red light also stimulates the mitochondria, which, in turn, keeps the affected area healthier. The procedure lasted for about ten minutes til the bodybuilder’s tissues began loosening up. They then immediately moved to acupuncture, while Ismail revealed his preferred form of cold therapy.
“I prefer nitrogen-based over water-based. It’s less of a shock; you get better antioxidant secretions, which is what you need to keep your tissues healthy and fight off inflammation.”
The procedure ended on a good note, with the physiotherapist advising Coleman to plan his future visits to maintain his current progress. Considering how the bodybuilding legend felt almost immediately better, the potential seems promising enough for him to return. After so many medical procedures wreaking havoc on his body, watching him heal made fans happy.
Is there any other procedure that Ronnie Coleman sought out as a cure?
Before extensive physiotherapy, Coleman underwent stem cell therapy as a solution to his long-term ailments. Stem cell therapy has been the talk of the town among bodybuilders who have been facing deep-rooted injuries. And the eight-time Mr. Olympia had joined the bandwagon.
Currently, the treatment combined with physiotherapy seems to be working some magic. While there’s still a long way to go, Coleman is positive that he might soon be able to stand on his legs and start walking again. And this time, the entire world is rooting for him.
