Does Ronnie Coleman have health issues? What we know as bodybuilding legend hospitalized over “serious medical condition”

Ronnie Coleman shared a concerning health update on Instagram on Sunday, June 29, 2025.

The celebrated bodybuilder revealed that he had to miss a UK event that was scheduled to happen in the first week of July. Coleman further wrote that he “had a medical emergency” and had to stay in the US for treatment. Ronnie assured his followers,

“But don’t worry… I’m in great hands, getting the best care, and I’m staying strong through it all. I’ll be back and better than ever, and I can’t wait to get out there and see you all real soon! Thanks for all the love and support, and as always, this ain’t nothin but a peanut.”

On Monday, June 30, 2025, Ronnie Coleman’s family posted a statement through his social media accounts providing an update on his health. They shared that Ronnie was hospitalized on Sunday “due to a serious medical condition." The statement also revealed that Ronnie was receiving “expert medical care and continues to show incredible strength and resilience.” The Coleman Family added,

“At this time, we are not sharing additional details, as the focus remains on Ronnie’s recovery and well-being. We kindly ask for your understanding and support in keeping the environment respectful and free of speculation.”

While Ronnie Coleman’s family has refrained from revealing anything about his current medical condition, the former bodybuilder has struggled with mobility issues for almost a decade. The eight-time Mr. Olympia winner hasn’t been able to walk unassisted in years. Following multiple surgeries and chronic back pain issues, Coleman has relied on crutches and a wheelchair.

More about Ronnie Coleman’s health struggles and surgeries

Throughout his career, The King faced multiple injuries impacting his lower back, hips, neck, shoulders, and more due to the intense weightlifting, according to RonnieColeman.com. Over the years, the bodybuilding legend has undergone several surgeries, with most of them being focused on his back.

Coleman appeared on the Club Shay Shay podcast, hosted by Shannon Sharpe, in September last year. During the conversation around the surgeries, Ronnie revealed that he had undergone 13 operations since 2017, including eight back, three neck, and two hip procedures. The former bodybuilder, who retired in 2007, talked about intense weightlifting taking a toll on his body,

“[I lifted] millions of pounds [over 47 years] dand, you know, that takes a total on the body, you know. Eventually it's going to catch up with you and that's what happened to me in 2007. All that banging and heavy lifting finally caught up with me and it was time to go.”

Earlier this year, Ronnie Coleman recounted facing mobility issues in 2015 during his visit to Russia. In a March 2025 YouTube video, he talked about having intense back pain and problems with his legs while walking. Ronnie Coleman revealed that he faced difficulty walking for even shorter distances, and it was the first time he had to use a wheelchair. He added,

“As soon as I get back [to the US], the first thing I've got to do is set an appointment to see a doctor. I was being wheeled everywhere I went. I made an appointment to see the doctor and he did x-ray, then he did MRI and he's like 'Man you need a major surgery.'”

While recalling his initial surgery, Ronnie Coleman talked about being unable to walk and getting admitted to a rehab facility. He further revealed,

“I had another six surgeries. They would put these screws in my back and every time they did a surgery on me, the screws kept breaking. When the screw broke they had to go in and immediately fix it, right away. So, I did like two surgeries back to back in two weeks time that occurred probably about another three to four more times.”

Ronnie Coleman asserted that his mobility issues got worse following the surgeries,

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“My Mobility never got better, actually probably got worse if anything, because the more surgeries I had the worse my back got.”

During the video, Coleman also shared a positive update, talking about being able to walk again unassisted. According to his doctors, it will take Ronnie two years of rehabilitation. By the end of the video, Big Ron made a commitment to himself and his followers to walk again by January 2027.

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