Jackson had epidural for action film

Reuters

BACK PAIN: Samuel L Jackson has a history of back complaints.

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Samuel L. Jackson had to have an epidural to finish his 2003 movie S.W.A.T.

The actor woke up in severe pain while shooting the film, and found he had damaged his back. He knew he had to finish his last few scenes, so asked medics to freeze his back so he could complete them.

"When I was doing S.W.A.T. I woke up one morning… I couldn't move. I rolled out of bed, crawled to the bathroom, I took, like, eight Advil (painkillers) and eventually I ended up getting an epidural so I could finish the movie," he explained. "Then two days after the movie was over they discovered I had a cyst on my sciatica so they plucked that off and I was done, I could walk. Then last year I ended up with a crushed nerve between my L4 and L5, so I have what's known as a coflex device which is a titanium piece built like a seat and is clamped to the upper phalange and the lower phalanges so when I bend forward it opens and when I bend backwards it closes so I can still turn fully without getting fused. So I've had a couple of back things."

Samuel would recommend anyone having trouble with their back has surgery. He insists it's not as scary as many think, saying the only thing which made him uncomfortable was when a nurse arrived in his room an hour after the operation. He thought she was joking when she asked him to walk, but was amazed by the ease with which he took to his feet.

The 61-year-old now relies on acupuncture to keep himself in shape, saying he can't get enough of the practice. "It's one of my favourite things. I get it all the time, like twice a week, for my well being," he told American talk show host Ellen Degeneres. "I just go and get my 'waa' put in place, and get everything moving."

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