The former English player Rio Ferdinand, aged 47, expressed the significant health struggles he is currently facing due to chronic back injuries stemming from his long career in professional football.

After retiring in 2015, Ferdinand indicated that back pain could strike him suddenly and be so severe that he would need to stay in the hospital or use a wheelchair for a few days during periods of acute decline in his health condition.

Ferdinand revealed in his interview with Men's Health UK that for six years during his professional career, he had to rely on painkillers and injections to continue playing despite severe pain.

These long-term treatments have had a significant impact on the body of the Manchester United center-back after retirement, as their effects persist to this day and affect the quality of his daily life.

After his retirement, Ferdinand adopted a new approach to managing his health, focusing on working with a physiotherapist and a personal trainer in Dubai — where he currently resides with his family — to adopt a preventive health strategy rather than relying solely on temporary treatments. He noted that he has learned a lot about his body's needs over time.

Ferdinand's statement serves as a powerful reminder of the physical toll that professional athletes can endure after years of intense physical strain, and that the effects of injuries do not simply vanish once their sports careers end, but may persist and significantly impact daily life.