Ellen DeGeneres’ career has been marked by highs and lows, from the success of her long-running talk show to controversies about its workplace environment. After 19 seasons, she stepped away from the spotlight, shifting her focus to animal conservation, including completing The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in Rwanda. However, her health made headlines when she contracted COVID-19 in December 2020, an experience she described as surprising due to the severe back pain she suffered—a symptom she had not initially associated with the virus.
At the time, back pain was not widely recognized as a COVID-19 symptom, though the Centers for Disease Control listed general muscle and body aches. DeGeneres shared her experience on social media, stating she felt “fantastic” after recovering but was astonished by the unexpected symptom, which was later corroborated by others who had similar experiences. Health organizations, such as the NHS, have since explained that COVID-19 and prolonged inactivity during illness can exacerbate existing joint and muscle issues or lead to new ones, causing stiffness and weakness.
The pandemic also saw a rise in back pain attributed to lifestyle changes. Remote work and restrictions on movement led many to become less active, compounding physical discomfort. A study in Malta revealed that chronic back pain cases surged from 30% before COVID-19 to 49% after the pandemic began, with many individuals reporting pain for the first time. DeGeneres’ experience underscores how COVID-19 affected not just immediate health but also physical well-being, shedding light on lesser-known symptoms and the broader impact of lifestyle shifts during the pandemic.