Ronnie Coleman Gives Health Update, Ready To Walk Unassisted Once Again

Ronnie Coleman has started his journey towards recovery from his back issue. The legendary bodybuilder gave a health update and a great insight into the treatment he is receiving.

Coleman is considered among the greatest bodybuilders of all time. He holds the record for most Mr. Olympia wins (8) in the history of the sport along with Lee Haney. But great achievements do not come without great sacrifices.

The 59-year-old was known for his intense training methods and arduous bodybuilding lifestyle eventually took a toll on his health. Ronnie suffered from a serious spinal issue and decades of heavy lifting also damaged his back, hips, neck, and shoulders. The veteran bodybuilder received several surgeries and treatments to alleviate pain.

Back in 2018, Ronnie had speculated that he might never be able to walk unassisted after some ‘questionable surgeries’. While he has recovered some of his mobility and continues to train, there is still a lot of scope for improvement and recovery.

Ronnie Coleman gives health update, receives therapy in Abu Dhabi

Ronnie Coleman recently visited the Middle Eastern city to receive treatment at the MAD Recovery Center. The doctor at the center Amr Ismail, examined the veteran bodybuilder and after loosening the muscles with a process called scraping, the 59-year-old was exposed to red light. Ismail explained:

“A lot of people don’t understand that red light is a nutrient that more or less feeds your cells. So something that’s restricted, lacks blood flow, tissue quality, or in general, the quality of cells in that are, if they’re a little bit dysfunctional or lacking, this is like a nice boost for them. Because red light acts as a stimulant to your energy factories, which is what we call mitochondria.”

He stated that the health of a particular body part depends upon the health of mitochondria in that part of the body. He added:

“Something that had some surgery or some scar tissue will have some restrictions and will mess around with the fascia which more or less moves everything. And obviously, every time you come to train or you want to break down that tissue, it doesn’t necessarily heal as properly as it should.”

According to Dr. Ismail, exposure to red light post-training can give relief to the muscles and help with recovery.

After the red light therapy, Coleman received needling and acupuncture treatment as Ismail suggested exploring other forms of treatment like cryotherapy and cold plunges, adding:

“I prefer nitrogen-based [cryotherapy] over water-based. It’s less of a shock, you get better anti-oxidant secretions; which is what we need to keep the tissue healthy and fight off inflammation.” 

He then revealed that it’s essential to rest 24 hours a day after getting the cold plunge to receive all the benefits of a plunge. Meanwhile, nitrogen-based cryotherapy can be taken before or after workouts.

According to Dr. Amr Ismail, the body has time to adapt to the lower temperatures in nitrogen-based cryotherapy. Therefore there is no shock that a person experiences during cold plunges. As a result, the body secretes happy hormones and anti-oxidants. Over a continued seven-day therapy, the body accumulates serum oxidase, an important anti-oxidant, which is important for healing.

He concluded that Ronnie’s problem is restricted tissues and it has nothing to do with his spinal cord anymore. As the title of Ronnie’s video suggests, he is hopeful to walk unassisted once again. Fitness Volt wishes Ronnie Coleman all the very best in his journey to making a full recovery.

Watch the full video below:

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