Ronnie Coleman Beats Injuries

By Loan Cat

Like His Titles, Ronnie Coleman’s Injuries Are Adding Up. The eight-time champ has had unfortunate setbacks in his retirement years

Not many bodybuilders will ever duplicate or surpass Ronnie Coleman’s feat of eight Mr. Olympia titles and, well, that may be a good thing. The former champ, who trained like a beast in the gym for years, continues to suffer the consequences as injury upon injury have plagued his post-competition years.

As he relates in YouTube videos and Instagram posts, he’s been in and out of surgery too many times to count, but the former great still maintains a positive attitude through it all. It includes replacement of both hips, neck and multiple lower-back fusions, disc decompression, and the replacement of broken screws that seem to hold the big man together.

Coleman recently recounted his first injury. He was a 16-year-old junior in high school in 1981 attending a powerlifting meet. He deadlifted 450 pounds and then heard a big pop, accompanied by a surge of pain.

Big Ronnie’s training style was known for super-heavy loads. In fact, in 1996, he was at the squat rack with 600-plus pounds loaded when on his eighth rep he heard a loud pop. Immediately casting aside the bar, he initially thought someone had slapped him in the back, but moments later, he felt pain shooting down his side down into his foot. The result was a herniated disc, every bodybuilder’s and powerlifter’s worst nightmare.

Here’s a rundown of his most serious episodes:

1. Laminectomy, L3-L4 discs (Dec 2007)
2. Disc decompression, L5 (2009)
3. Neck fusion, C4-C5-C6 (2011)
4. Left hip replacement (2014)
5. Right hip replacement (2014)
6. Lumbar fusion, L3-L4 with 6 screws (2014)
7. Replacement of broken screws (2016)
8. Removal of screws and fusion, L4-L5 (2018)
9. Replacement of broken screws (2018)
10. 10 Screws Replaced (September 2018)

Coleman’s surgical screws, bolts, and cages have broken a total of four different occasions. Each event led to another surgery, more pain, and more rehabilitation. The screws and bolts weren’t made for the average human; because of Coleman’s size, doctors had to get specially made screws and bolts to withstand his body and training.

Normally, after each surgery he has to relearn how to walk. After his most recent surgery, he was walking with a walker within two days!

Ronnie Coleman’s legacy extends beyond Mr. Olympia. It’s his no-quit attitude that keeps fans and supporters behind him. We wish him the best and a speedy recovery.