Former Manchester United and England captain Rio Ferdinand has shared a sobering look at the physical cost of his 20-year professional football career. Now 47, the legendary defender revealed that years of playing through pain have left him battling chronic back injuries that occasionally require the use of a wheelchair and emergency hospitalization.
Chronic Pain and Hospitalization
Currently residing in Dubai with his wife, Kate, Ferdinand looks to be in peak physical condition in recent features for Men’s Health UK. However, he explained that his outward appearance masks a difficult internal reality.
“I’ve got injuries that I had from my career,” Ferdinand stated. “I get some bad moments of back pain where I have to be in a hospital for a couple of days or in a wheelchair for a couple of days. It’s mad, but it just comes out of nowhere.”
The Legacy of “Painkilling Injections”
Ferdinand attributed much of his current suffering to the methods used to keep him on the pitch during his prime. He admitted to using painkilling injections and tablets for six consecutive years to ensure he could compete at the highest level for Manchester United and England.
“That’s affected me,” he admitted. He noted that while he was “fixing things when they were broken” during his playing days, he is only now—at 47—learning how to properly listen to and prevent injury through a more educated approach to his body.
A Holistic Recovery in Dubai
Since retiring in 2015, Ferdinand has sought professional help to manage his condition. He is currently working with a physiotherapist for the first time since his retirement, adopting a holistic strategy that coordinates his physical therapy with his personal training.
Beyond physical recovery, Ferdinand emphasized that staying active is vital for his “mental sanity.” He remains a “grafter,” a trait he says he inherited from his parents, and wants his five children to see his hard work and healthy lifestyle as “the norm.”
Reflections on the QPR “Nightmare”
Ferdinand also reflected on the final chapter of his career, admitting he wished he had retired at Manchester United rather than moving to Queens Park Rangers for the 2014/15 season. During that stint, he managed only 11 league appearances as his body began to fail him.
Recalling a conversation with teammate Bobby Zamora, Ferdinand said: “I remember one day in the car, he started laughing… he asked me why I was at QPR as he could see my body was shutting down. I was getting injuries, I was having to plaster myself through games.”
Despite assurances from then-manager Harry Redknapp that his minutes would be managed, the physical demands of the Premier League proved too much for his declining fitness. Ferdinand noted that personal circumstances, including his late wife’s illness at the time, further compounded the difficulty of that final season.
Source: Men’s Health UK
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