Coleman seems to be on the mend quickly after previous problems.
There is no doubt that Ronnie Coleman is one of the greatest bodybuilders in history. With eight consecutive Mr. Olympia victories in the late 20th century and early 2000s (1998-2005), Coleman tied for the most-ever titles with fellow legend Lee Haney. However, retirement hasn’t always been kind to the 58-year-old Coleman. Since he formally retired from professional bodybuilding in 2007, the icon has undergone over a dozen surgeries on his neck and back. While Coleman was on the mend of late, there was a time when he was unable to walk without the aid of crutches. They seem to credit a unique, still-developing treatment for some of the recent progress.
On January 16, 2023, Coleman shared a video on his YouTube channel where he discussed aspects of his recent health improvements in an interview with former bodybuilder and current media personality Giles Thomas. Coleman notes that the dialogue They are leaning towards stem cell therapy/injectionsThis has clearly given them a cleaner bill of health.
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Coleman did not specifically mention what kind of stem cell injections she received, but revealed that they are similar to mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that four-time Classic Physique Olympia champion Chris Bumstead is using in 2022. NPJ Regenerative MedicineMSCs have “broad anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory properties … [which] interact with their immediate surroundings and neighboring cells to provide cell-based responses that are therapeutic. (1)
Regarding the potential benefits of stem cell therapies, it is also important to note that research into their effectiveness is ongoing. While encouraging, stem cell procedures need more illumination to determine if their benefits are valid. (2)
Coleman maintains that stem cell treatments help manage chronic pain in his neck and back. These early injuries occurred during his college football career with Grambling State University in the 1980s, before he morphed into one of the faces of bodybuilding.
“My back injuries came from playing football,” Coleman said. “I hurt it [his back] My sophomore year was really bad, then I hurt my neck really bad. I was doing a lot of chiropractic [treatments] Until I started bodybuilding in my sophomore year of college [in 1990].”
These days, Coleman said he maintains a relatively steady schedule of stem cell injections, traveling across the United States border to Mexico a few times a year to help manage his back and neck problems.
“That’s what I’m trying to do right now [stem cell injections] Every four months, in Mexico,” Coleman said. “I started probably about a year ago and I went to twice every four months and then I took about nine months off, and the pain came back really bad. I went back and I went one last time. I was in a lot of pain. After three days, the pain disappeared. So soon.”
In addition to his stem cell treatments, Coleman uses experimental hyperbaric chambers to help with his pain management and recovery, especially to sleep better at night. According to this medicine, hyperbaric oxygen therapy “involves the use of pure oxygen at elevated pressure (typically, 2-3 atmospheres), which enhances oxygen levels in the blood (hyperoxemia) and tissue (hyperoxia),” which improves the body’s healing processes. The same medical journal maintains that “more research” may be needed to determine the exact benefits and effects. (3)
When it comes to Coleman, hyperbaric chambers are currently working wonders to complement his other treatments.
“We also do hyperbaric chamber sessions,” Coleman explained of their coordinated treatment regimen. “We did two 45-minute sessions a day for five days.”
With his health in an improved place, Coleman seems to be looking forward to better, less painful retirement years. As a continued major influence on stars and young risers alike in the bodybuilding community, this update certainly won’t be the last we hear from Titan.
References:
- Pittenger, MF, Discher, DE, Péault, BM, Phinney, DG, Hare, JM, & Caplan, AI (2019). A mesenchymal stem cell perspective: from cell biology to clinical progress. NPJ Regenerative Medicine, 422. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41536-019-0083-6
- Chen J, Wang H, Lu X, Yang K, Lu C. Safety and efficacy of stem cell therapy: a protocol overview of published meta-analyses and evidence mapping. Ann Transl Med. 2021 Feb;9(3):270. doi: 10.21037/atm-20-6892. PMID: 33708897; PMCID: PMC7940926.
- Ortega, AM et al. (2021) General overview on hyperbaric oxygen therapy: applications, mechanisms and translational opportunities. medicine 2021 September; 57(9): 864. doi: 10.3390/medicina57090864. PMID: 34577787; PMCID: PMC8465921
Featured Image: @ronniecoleman8 on Instagram
