Ex-Man United Star Ashley Young Reveals Hip Replacement Ordeal

Ashley Young, the former Manchester United winger, has opened up about the severe hip pain that forced him into early retirement at the age of 40. In a candid conversation with the High Performance Podcast, Young revealed that his hip joint had deteriorated to the point where he needed a replacement. The pain became so unbearable that he was unable to train for three months during the final stretch of his career. Young had initially tried to manage the discomfort with injections, but the pain persisted, and he was told that he would need a hip replacement in about 10 years' time. However, his condition worsened, and he was advised to consider retirement. 'I went down on my hip in November and had an injection. I have always said to myself, if my body is saying you need injections, there is a problem, you need to think about retiring,' Young said. The former Manchester United star revealed that he was 'bone on bone' in his hip joint, with no cartilage to cushion the impact. Despite the pain, Young was determined to contribute to his team's success and continued to train, albeit with great difficulty. 'From January to the end of the season, I literally had two or three months where I couldn’t train, it was that painful. I saw the specialist again and said, I’m not going out like this. He said he didn’t want to give me another injection as it would weaken the area,' Young explained. Young's unwavering dedication to his team paid off, as they secured promotion on the last day of the season. Although he was unable to play in the final game, Young was proud of his team's achievement and felt that it was a fitting end to his career.