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Rio Ferdinand Says Career Left Him With Severe Back Pain and Sudden Hospital Stays

A new Men's Health UK interview details his move to physiotherapy with a prevention-first routine after years playing through pain.

Overview

  • The 47-year-old former Manchester United and England defender, who retired in 2015, says episodes strike without warning, sometimes leaving him in a wheelchair for days.
  • He recounted taking pills and injections for about six years during his playing days to stay on the pitch.
  • Since retiring, he says he has only recently begun regular work with a physiotherapist and adopted a holistic program focused on injury prevention.
  • Coverage reports he relocated to Dubai last year in pursuit of healthier habits and better symptom management.
  • He says setting a visible, healthy routine serves his children, a priority shaped by the death of his wife, Rebecca.