David Beckham had dye injected into his spine so they could see what was wrong (Image: Scott Trindle / Mens Health)
has revealed a shocking back injury that he suffered unknowingly while playing football in Los Angeles. Speaking to , the former England captain disclosed: “I actually broke my back. I was living in LA and cracked my spine. I had pain after a game, I went for a scan and couldn’t find anything wrong with it.”
Despite the intense discomfort, Beckham had to fight to get doctors to delve deeper into his condition, recounting: “I was insisting there was something not right there, I could feel it. So, they injected me with dye and then it came up. It was a bad one.”
But that wasn’t the only significant injury the football icon endured. He also mentioned a past wrist injury: “I broke my wrist in South Africa and I still get issues with it. I was told that it was a dissolvable screw. It turns out it wasn’t, so I’ve still got it.”
These experiences have motivated Beckham to launch his own health and wellness brand, IM8. Tired of the confusing array of products on the market, he aimed to create something straightforward and effective: “One person saying one thing is the best, and others would disagree. IM8 works for me. Gut health, energy, focus – all of it is improved.”
Reflecting on his training during his football days, Beckham admitted that he focused almost exclusively on his legs and neglected his upper body, saying that the “only strength work he did was on his legs” and he “never really” considered the rest.
The former Manchester United player discussed his health, injuries and kids (Image: Scott Trindle / Men’s Health)
Beckham has revealed that he’s bulked up since retiring from football, admitting: “I never had pecs, not up until I met [personal trainer] Bob [Rich]. You could say I’ve gone up a couple of cup sizes as a result. I never really had a desire to either, I was determined to be as lean as I could be, but since I’ve retired I’ve put a bit of meat in my pecs.”
The former England captain confessed his newfound love for pull-ups, despite previously hating them.
He said: “I used to hate pull-ups with a passion” and could “literally only do two or three,” but now he does them “most days” which leaves him “feeling good”.
David urged doctors to take a closer look at his back (Image: Scott Trindle / Mens Health)
Beckham also shared his feelings about his children growing up and leaving home, describing the thought as “actually painful”. He said: “What I would give to have that back and be able to walk in, moaning to them about it [wet towels on bedroom floors]!!”
Despite this, he praised his sons’ manners, saying: “That said, my boys are pretty good. They’ll always ask me to the pub when they go with their mates.”
Beckham revealed that snowboarding is a bonding activity between him and his sons. He said they are “the first up and last off the slopes”, and that “having chats on the lifts or in the gondolas” are the “best part” about spending time together, because “the kids can’t go on their phones.”
The full interview is available in the April issue of Men’s Health UK from 4th March or now on the Men’s Health UK website.