The world remembers Ronnie Coleman for the incredible standards he set in the bodybuilding world. With his sheer size and conditioning, he quickly became an inspiration for aspiring bodybuilders who wanted to look as huge and chiseled as him. Yet, not all stories seem to have a happy ending, and for Coleman, tragedy struck in the form of injuries.
In a recent candid conversation with strongman champion Brian Shaw, Coleman recalled how he began bodybuilding as a one-time activity and stuck with it. But his history with injuries started way before his prolific career. The icon’s issues with his back originated decades ago and have never dulled down since.
Life before bodybuilding was not too different for the charismatic fitness freak. Coleman played college football for a long time and served as a police officer later. Even back then, he was a lovable, jacked athlete who was dedicated to whatever he picked up. That’s when he met his partner at MetroFlex, Brian Dobson.
Coleman cheekily admitted how he never planned on pursuing bodybuilding permanently. However, the prospect of having a free membership that Dobson offered convinced him to train. Yet, his setbacks caught up to him sooner than he thought.
“Went to college, played four years there, talked to some Scouts, you know, and one was telling me, ‘I think we can get you drafted…’ I’m like, ‘Okay, cool, I’m about to make it to the pros’…and end up getting injured.”
That was the back injury that haunted Coleman for the rest of his life. He ended up having multiple surgeries on his back. However, when fans thought that his back problems were a result of bodybuilding, the icon debunked those theories.
“I had to go to the chiropractor, like… for a while it was every day, and then they just started sending me every other day…and people don’t know that they think I hurt my back, uh, you know, bodybuilding, but I actually hurt it playing football.”
Despite his love for the sport, Coleman eventually retired from bodybuilding and focused on healing. After botched surgeries, posture problems, and resorting to walking with support tools, he’s finally on his way to recovery at 59.
Why can’t Ronnie Coleman walk?
Coleman has limited mobility due to all of his injuries eventually catching up to him. His days spent squatting and deadlifting extremely heavy weights resulted in major repercussions. He sustained injuries to his back, neck, hips, and legs.
After going through 13 operations, with one of them being a botched procedure, the icon is finally recovering. He recently opened up about undergoing physiotherapy and stem cell treatment, which seems to be helping a lot. Fans are hopeful that they might get to see their hero walk normally again.
