Martial arts superstar Jet Li has been plagued by injuries since his teenage days: ‘I’m in pain but I’m not in a wheelchair yet’
‘The King of Kung Fu’ still feels pain from past injuries as he battles the debilitating effects of hyperthyroidism amid shocking recent photos
Martial arts legend Jet Li Lianjie’s frail appearance in a Tibet temple has shocked many fans around the world, but it wasn’t too long ago the 55-year-old actor looked a picture of health – at least on the silver screen.
The Hollywood icon, who starred in Lethal Weapon 4 and Romeo Must Die, admitted he has not been in the best of health in recent years.
“I’ve suffered from illnesses, for example hyperthyroidism. I am fat but I can’t lose weight because I am taking medication for my illness. The medication is to control my heart beat. That’s why I can’t do lots of exercise,” said Li, who revealed his resting heart rate was around 130 to 140 beats per minute (a normal resting heart rate is between 60 and 100bpm).
Li’s manager, Steven Chasman told The Washington Post that the photo of Li in Tibet “was just a bad photo of someone who is 55 years old”.
“He has hyperthyroidism that he’s been dealing with for almost 10 years. It’s nothing life-threatening and he’s dealing with it,” Chasman told The Washington Post.
