It was April 2016. Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade couldn’t play for the second consecutive night and watched his team lose 110-93 to the Portland Trail Blazers. The athlete was dealing with back and neck injuries after he took a hard fall in one of his previous games against the Lakers. “The impact I made when I hit the floor, my lower back is real sore. And my neck, from my head hitting the floor, is real sore. It’s hard to walk normal, and it’s hard to look left or right fast,” Wade stated back then. His then-head coach, Erik Spoelstra, even stated the player was walking like Frankenstein!

While Wade retired in 2019 after a great NBA career, the physical toll of his career has seemingly begun to reveal itself. Throughout his career, he has dealt with sore knees, shoulders, and back issues and even opted for surgery to fix some of the issues. But what about his physical health after retiring?

Well, Wade released a new video on his YouTube channel, where he talked about his health. “Like you said, my health. I think we can’t do anything without it, bro. My back, you know I was telling you recently my back has been bothering me big time. I started working with this new guy, shout out to my guy Brian Reynolds. Man, he’s incredible. Chris and I, you know, started working with him recently. This young black man who’s really got into he called himself a stretchologist,” Wade explained.

“Bro, he be coming to the crib, putting me in like DDTs. It is one of the most vulnerable spaces, you know what I mean? Like my body, I feel myself getting older. Like in real time, I feel myself getting stiffer. Like I feel myself not being able to turn as quick. And I am so used to being to able to [move]. And so now, because of golf and because of traveling and because of all the things that I do and trying to be active in all my kids’ lives, my health outside of going to the doctors and the other things we talked about, it is a physical tool.”

“So I have been working real hard, man. Just on my chiropractor, you know stretching, getting body work like I said, I throw yoga in there. I throw all these things in there, man. Because if my body ain’t right, I am nothing, you know? I am not good. SO I’m thankful right now to be able to feel good… Be able to hop in and out the car the way I did,” he stated, feeling gratitude, which is in perfect alignment with the time of the year.

But Wade’s back issues haven’t been the only concern.

A year ago, Wade also spoke candidly about experiencing mental fog, which affects him as an entrepreneur and a father. “I have mental fog. You know when things just go blank sometimes and you’re like, ‘Where’s that word? How do you spell that word? What was that thought?’” Wade told PEOPLE and also worked to get rid of the issue.

But given what we know about his health, it’s hard to ignore the unbelievable athleticism and skill that Wade showed on the court. His legendary 2006 NBA Finals performance perhaps showcases no moment better than this. In the series, he led the Heat to their first championship, averaging 34.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.

And he has been conscious about taking the right measures to keep in shape. Last year, he partnered with wellness company Thorne, to tackle mental fog and other health issues. This year, he has been seen indulging in hot yoga and soaking up in an ice tub. He is taking his health very seriously. However, Wade is 42 now and despite his measures, a few minor incidents haven’t evaded him.

Dwyane Wade spent Thanksgiving with a little sting…

“My favorite day of the year.” Thanksgiving has always been a cherished holiday for Wade and his family. Known for hosting lavish gatherings filled with friends, food, and fun, the Heat champion takes pride in making the holiday memorable for his loved ones. This year, however, the festive spirit took an unexpected turn, leaving the NBA legend nursing an injury.

On Thanksgiving Wade took to his Instagram Story to give his fans a glimpse of what happens at a high-profile Thanksgiving party and also mesmerized his fans by showcasing his dance skills. But those skills turned out to be his ultimate nemesis of the night.

“Rolled my ankle in the gym yesterday and this was me last night (dancing), Today I’m paying for it,” wrote Wade as the caption of his story.

A day after the energetic night full of food and karaoke, Wade posted pictures on his story in which he can be seen putting his foot on ice to lessen the pain. “Everyone can get it. Old, young, athletic or unathletic,” wrote Wade as the caption. While it reminded us of life’s unpredictability, we also saw Wade’s ability to find joy in the moment. What do you think?