Craig Revel Horwood, 54, was performing the role of the Wicked Queen in a stage performance of Snow White in 2013 when a single high kick led to agonising pain down his leg. In an interview with Daily Express last year, the Strictly judge said: “I assumed I’d ripped a ligament.” With a busy schedule on his hands, Craig decided to treat the pain himself with “off-the-shelf painkillers”. But almost two months later, the former dancer began to experience constant, debilitating pain.
Normally ligament damage fixes itself, every dancer knows that, but this was a mystery
Craig Revel Horwood
He said: “Normally ligament damage fixes itself, every dancer knows that, but this was a mystery.
“I was doing all the right things – resting and stretching – but it was getting progressively worse.”
The star started to struggle to walk even short distances, and at a loss as to what to do, he booked an appointment to have a MRI scan.
Craig explained: “When it came back the surgeon asked me, ‘How on earth have you been walking?’
“I told him, ‘Painkillers, darling. I was working, I had to keep dancing’.
“Like a lot of dancers, there have been many times when I have danced with a lot of pain.
“You get a higher pain threshold, pain becomes normal.”
Craig was diagnosed with osteoarthritis and told he needed a hip replacement.
Last year he underwent a second hip replacement, after he was told his there hip would go after two years.
He said: “I lasted five but I was in pain for two of those years.”
Craig is now pain-free, and following on from is joint problem he is now a patron of the National Osteoporosis Society.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis in the UK and causes joints to become painful and stiff.
The main symptoms are joint pain and stiffness, as well as problems moving the joint, according to the NHS.
The health body adds: “Some people also have symptoms such as swelling, tenderness, grating or crackling sound when moving the affected joints.
“The severity of osteoarthritis symptoms can vary greatly from person to person, and between different affected joints.”
If you think you have the symptoms of osteoarthritis, see your GP.
Another star who’s been open about being diagnosed with arthritis is Emmerdale star Claire King.
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