It’s just one big guest after another in Joe Rogan’s JRE podcast as Hollywood icon Mel Gibson joined the 57-year-old for a second time in the show’s history. The Hollywood icon returned on JRE #2254 after almost six years and made a revelation that not many of his fans knew about. Gibson confessed to having some serious issues with his back, but he doesn’t want to do surgery.

Yes, Mel Gibson, who starred in some of the best action movies in the 1980s, claimed to have been born with scoliosis. For the unversed, scoliosis is a medical condition where a person experiences his spine curving sideways. Also, Gibson’s occupation as an actor, where he performed some of his stunts, and his personal choices, added to his issues with the backbone.

“I was born scoliotic, you know… and then, of course, I banged myself up over the years, you know,” Mel Gibson told Joe Rogan. The ‘Lethal Weapon’ star claimed that surgery scares him because messing with the back is not an option for him. Rather, he’s looking for other ways to treat his backbone. “They do [treat scoliosis in ways other than surgery] because I don’t wanna do surgery. Once you start opening stuff up and fooling with it, there’s no going back,” Gibson further stated.

While quoting Hippocrates, Gibson added, “Hippocrates, the father of medicine, he said, ‘In any ailment, look first to the spine,’ and it was like, ‘He’s kinda right!” Joe Rogan knows a thing or two about back problems. He too has claimed to have suffered chronic back pain due to training in jiu-jitsu. Also, Mel Gibson may not be wrong about not wanting to get surgery done on his back as former UFC double champion Daniel Cormier stands as an example. According to Rogan, ‘DC’ was never the same after his surgery.

Medical experts and textbooks claim that the backbone is one of the most essential parts of a body, but for Joe Rogan, it’s the most important one. Movement, balance, posture – these are just some of the significant functions of the spine. Following Mel Gibson’s revelation, the 57-year-old asserted that once someone gets caught up with back issues, they could face physical limitations even though they possess immense strength.

“If your back is f***ed up, everything’s f***ed up. No matter how strong your arms and legs are, if your back is f***ed up, you’re in trouble,” Joe Rogan stated. “People with back problems can’t think straight because you’re always [groaning in pain].” Meanwhile, back issues aren’t the only health issues Mel Gibson’s been through. The 69-year-old also battled the COVID-19 virus.

Mel Gibson’s COVID issues

We don’t need to mention what 2020 was like. The unprecedented COVID-19 virus affected millions of people worldwide, and Mel Gibson was one of them. The Oscar-winning filmmaker was diagnosed with it during the first wave of the pandemic and had to spend a week within the four walls of a medical facility. When he opened up about it almost a year later, Gibson revealed that it wasn’t anything serious because the doctors didn’t have to put any ventilation equipment on him, but he did feel like he wasn’t well.

“You feel pretty crummy for a while, but they didn’t have to use a ventilator or anything and I eventually thought, ‘Well, this is enough. I can go home now,'” Mel Gibson told ‘Extratv.’ Moreover, the Hollywood icon delivered another scare recently when he was spotted wearing a leg brace, or a medical boot, and walking with the support of a cane. This was surprising for many people because before the year ended, Gibson was seen in an arm sling.

Now, there’s been no information on what the leg injury is about, but despite all the medical issues, Mel Gibson still looks in great spirits. He’s still making movies and is still going strong nearing 70 years of age.