Marshall Faulk says he was diagnosed with Parkinson's after he noticed some symptoms while playing golf; here’s what NFL legend said

NFL legend Marshall Faulk has revealed that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. While speaking during an episode of the podcast “Caring Neurologist,” the Hall of Fame running back said that he has been dealing with the disorder for almost a year and a half, and early diagnosis has helped him seek effective treatment.

Parkinson's disease is a disorder linked to the nervous system that affects movement and gets worse over time, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). The disorder weakens nerve cells in parts of the brain. They end up getting damaged and dying.

When this happens, the person can face problems with movement and balance, according to NINDS. They can feel uncontrollable shaking of the hands or fingers (tremors) and stiffness. When things get worse and the disorder remains untreated, people with Parkinson's disease may have difficulty walking, talking, or completing everyday tasks.

Marshall Faulk noticed rigidity in hands

During the podcast, Faulk said that he was diagnosed with Parkinson's after he noticed some issues with his hand while playing golf. He felt rigidity in his hand. Initially he was ignorant about it, but as the issue kept growing, he reached out to his doctor.

"I get a physical twice a year. I'm a little anal about my health. I literally asked my doctor because I noticed it as I was playing golf. I noticed the rigidity in my hand after I played a lot or practiced a lot; I thought it was just normal nerves when putting and stuff like that. But it started to be times where I wasn't playing, I mean, where I was playing, but I wasn't in a match, and it would still do that,” he said.

"I was like, 'Wow, is that something? Is that normal?' And the doctor was like, 'You need to go get checked. You need to go have X, Y, and Z done," he added.

Why early treatment is important

While sharing details about his diagnosis, Faulk emphasized how important it is to get diagnosed early and start treatment. He further said that his medications have so far allowed him to continue living his life.

"Since I've started on the medication, I don't really have a lot of issues. I might sleep a little more … Other than that, the rigidity in my hands, I still have that. Can't say that it's gotten worse. The little tremors that I get, they are what they are. I just pay attention to my gait, how I walk, when I'm working out, and my ability to balance. It's still where it is. I don't look at it as something that's terminal. It's like, "Hey, you get to live with this." There are far worse things out there," he said.

In the NFL, Faulk played for the Indianapolis Colts and St. Louis Rams. After his retirement in 2007, he took up the role of an analyst on several NFL Network programs. He is currently working as head coach at Southern University.