Phoebe Burgess admits it’s taken ‘years’ to accept her diagnosis

Phoebe Burgess candidly spoke about her battle with chronic back pain in an Instagram post on Saturday.

Alongside a photo of herself in a hospital bed, the 31-year-old said she felt a responsibility to offer advice, after being inundated with messages on Instagram.

The former NRL WAG admitted that it’s taken ‘years’ to accept her diagnosis, that all began with a skiing accident in 2012 that ‘changed her spine forever’. 

‘I live in chronic pain’: Phoebe Burgess admitted it’s taken ‘years’ to accept her diagnosis – after a skiing accident in 2012 that ‘changed her spine forever’. The 31-year-old made the revelation alongside this photo, shared to Instagram on Saturday 

Phoebe told her followers that after being ‘inundated with soul-baring messages, impossible confessions and heartbreaking stories’, she realised she was not alone in her pain.   

The brand ambassador said she felt a ‘responsibility’ to provide answers for other women enduring chronic back pain. 

‘I don’t know if it’s social responsibility, female responsibility. The responsibility of being [a] “mum”,’ she explained.  

Support: The mother-of-two said she felt a responsibility to offer advice to other women enduring chronic back pain, after being inundated with messages on Instagram

Support: The mother-of-two said she felt a responsibility to offer advice to other women enduring chronic back pain, after being inundated with messages on Instagram 

Candid: Phoebe admitted that after 'two children, countless procedures, injections, scans and surgeries', she has accepted her diagnosis

Candid: Phoebe admitted that after ‘two children, countless procedures, injections, scans and surgeries’, she has accepted her diagnosis

Phoebe revealed that her first surgery was in 2012 after a skiing accident ‘that changed her spine forever’.

Post-surgery, she ‘didn’t listen’ to her body or follow doctors’ advice; instead continuing to play tennis, ski, and run ‘every morning on concrete’.  

Having been unable to accept her reality, Phoebe spent ‘weeks in hospital, unable to move’.

‘Two children and countless procedures, injections, scans and surgeries later, I live in chronic pain. It’s taken me years to acknowledge and accept my diagnosis,’ she admitted. 

Sought help: The brand ambassador went on to say that she has found the right support for her: a small team of professional helpers

Sought help: The brand ambassador went on to say that she has found the right support for her: a small team of professional helpers

Phoebe went on to say that she has found the right support for her: a small team of professional helpers. 

‘The people who I book appointments with, call, Zoom, email, have become my (professional) support mechanism,’ she concluded.

‘The safety net away from my family who gather around me when a life problem requires more than just me to take it on.’ 

Headlines: Phoebe's admission comes after bombshell allegations about ex-husband Sam Burgess' private life emerged in recent weeks. Sam, 31, is pictured in September, 2019

Headlines: Phoebe’s admission comes after bombshell allegations about ex-husband Sam Burgess’ private life emerged in recent weeks. Sam, 31, is pictured in September, 2019 

Claims: On October 2, Sam was formally stood down from his coaching role at the South Sydney Rabbitohs after claims about his marriage and wild lifestyle were published in The Australian. Sam and Phoebe are pictured in February, 2016

Claims: On October 2, Sam was formally stood down from his coaching role at the South Sydney Rabbitohs after claims about his marriage and wild lifestyle were published in The Australian. Sam and Phoebe are pictured in February, 2016 

Phoebe’s admission comes after bombshell allegations about ex-husband Sam Burgess’ private life emerged in recent weeks.

On October 2, Sam was formally stood down from his coaching role at the South Sydney Rabbitohs after claims about his marriage and wild lifestyle were published in The Australian.   

The NRL and NSW Police have both launched investigations into the allegations. The lawyer acting for Sam, Mark O’Brien, has strongly denied all allegations. 

Sam, 31, and Phoebe finalised their divorce in April this year. They share two children, daughter Poppy, three, and son Billy, one.   

Family: Sam and Phoebe finalised their divorce in April this year. They share two children, daughter Poppy, three, and son Billy, one (both pictured)

Family: Sam and Phoebe finalised their divorce in April this year. They share two children, daughter Poppy, three, and son Billy, one (both pictured)