Ellen DeGeneres has spent decades in front of cameras, shaping a career that made her one of the most recognizable faces in entertainment. But the end of her talk show after 19 seasons marked a major shift in her life—one that pushed her away from the daily spotlight and into a quieter chapter focused on personal priorities. Even so, fans were shaken when troubling news surfaced about her health, stirring a wave of concern and sympathy online.
The 64-year-old comedian had been dealing with the lingering aftermath of a COVID-19 infection she contracted at the height of the pandemic. What caught everyone off guard was the severity of the symptoms she described afterward—specifically, the sudden and “excruciating” back pain she said blindsided her. It wasn’t a symptom most people associated with the virus at the time, and her public admission sparked confusion, fear, and a lot of questions.
Her diagnosis came in December 2020, back when the nation was still trying to understand how COVID behaved. DeGeneres announced that she had followed every recommended precaution, yet still contracted the virus. Days later, she posted an update for her fans, sitting upright on a couch but clearly drained. Despite looking tired, she insisted she was feeling “100%,” then added a detail that left people stunned: no one had warned her about the back pain.
“What they don’t tell you,” she said, “is that COVID gives you extreme back pain. I didn’t know that until I talked to a few other people.” Her tone mixed frustration with disbelief—an honest reaction to a symptom many early COVID patients were discovering the hard way.
Medical experts hadn’t yet connected the dots. The CDC did not list back pain as a recognized symptom during the early outbreak, instead grouping physical discomfort under “muscle or body aches.” That broad definition didn’t capture how intense some of the pain could be. In those days, people focused on fever, cough, shortness of breath, and the well-known loss of taste and smell. But as more cases piled up, so did reports of patients dealing with intense joint and muscle discomfort, especially in the back and shoulders.
In the UK, the NHS later provided clarity. When people become ill, especially with something that forces them into isolation or bed rest, normal physical movement drops significantly. Less mobility means muscles stiffen, weaken, and become more prone to pain. The NHS noted that many people already had minor aches before COVID, but the virus—and the inactivity that comes with recovery—intensified them. Back pain became one of the most commonly reported lingering issues, especially for people who were previously active.
A study conducted in Malta highlighted the growing problem. Before the pandemic, roughly 30% of participants reported chronic back pain. After COVID began spreading, that number jumped to nearly half, and many of those individuals had never experienced back problems before. DeGeneres was far from alone. Her honesty simply made more people realize what had been happening to them.
Of course, back pain on its own doesn’t automatically point to COVID. Winter illnesses like the flu can create similar symptoms—body aches, stiffness, and fatigue. Pneumonia can trigger back pain as well, especially when inflammation affects the thoracic region near the lungs. Other signs such as fever, congestion, sneezing, or coughing often help distinguish one illness from another. But the reality is simple: COVID made life more physically taxing for many people, even those who experienced only mild respiratory symptoms.
DeGeneres’ case brought attention to another issue as well—how drastically routines changed during lockdowns. With millions working from home, many were stuck at kitchen tables, couches, or makeshift desks for hours. Poor posture, limited movement, and stress created the perfect conditions for back and shoulder pain. Even those who avoided the virus found themselves dealing with physical issues tied directly to pandemic living.
Her story painted a much larger picture: COVID affected far more than lungs. It hit bodies, routines, mental health, and lifestyles. And like many others, DeGeneres discovered just how much strain her body had been under once she slowed down.
During this time, she also pulled away from public life. The controversies surrounding accusations of a toxic workplace environment pushed her to step back, reflect, and redirect her energy into something personally meaningful. She poured her time into her passion for wildlife conservation, establishing The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in Rwanda—a massive undertaking that blended philanthropy, science, and environmental protection. It was a project rooted in compassion, far from the chaos of Hollywood headlines.
Her return to television appearances—like her interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live!—showed a woman trying to move forward while still acknowledging the scars left behind. During the interview, she reiterated how much the back pain had shocked her, adding a touch of humor but also a dose of seriousness. Even with her upbeat tone, viewers could tell the experience had humbled her.
Many fans found themselves resonating with her story. Countless people across the world had felt strange aches, unexplained pains, and long-term symptoms months after catching the virus. Hearing a celebrity describe the same struggle made them feel seen. The stigma around long-COVID symptoms made many individuals reluctant to talk about their lingering pain. DeGeneres unintentionally became part of the conversation simply by being honest about her experience.
Back pain associated with illness often presents itself in various forms:
a sharp or stabbing sensation
a burning or radiating ache
pain traveling down the leg
pins-and-needles tingling
difficulty moving or lifting objects
a constant dull throb that won’t ease up
She described it as severe enough to disrupt daily life—a feeling some compared to spasms or the pain from a slipped disc. The discomfort was intense, unexpected, and for many, frightening.
What her fans didn’t expect was how much compassion surfaced in the comments once her story spread. People who had battled COVID shared their own experiences. Others who had lost loved ones expressed empathy. Many simply wished her strength and healing. A woman who spent years making others laugh was suddenly the one receiving support.
Ellen DeGeneres’ journey through COVID and the unexpected pain that followed is a reminder of how profoundly the pandemic affected everyone, regardless of fame or wealth. Her decision to be candid about the struggle offered clarity at a time when the world desperately needed more transparency about the virus’s real effects.
And while her back pain eventually eased, the story remains a snapshot of a moment in history—one where even the most familiar figures weren’t spared from the uncertainty, fear, and physical strain that defined the early pandemic years.
If anything, her experience underscored a truth many learned too late: COVID wasn’t just a respiratory virus. For countless people like DeGeneres, it became a full-body battle—one that tested strength, patience, and resilience long after the initial symptoms faded.