NFL Hall of Fame running back and current Southern University coach Marshall Faulk announced that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
The 53-year-old revealed it on an Oct. 21 episode of “The Caring Neurologist” with Dr. Sandeep Thakkar, calling himself "one of the lucky ones" for catching it so early. Faulk explained that he spoke with other people who played in the NFL who had symptoms that could've been looked at as football-related issues, which led to the early detection.
"The earlier you catch it, the better chance you have at living a better quality of life with medication compared to if you catch it later, the things that you start to have, the things that you go through, it makes life a little bit more difficult," Faulk said.
When asked when he first noticed any symptoms, Faulk noted that he noticed something with his hands while playing golf.
“The rigidity in my hand, just sometimes after I play a lot or I practice a lot,” Faulk said. “I just thought it was, you know, normal nerves when putting and stuff like that.”
The former Indianapolis Colts and St. Louis Rams star said that the issues began appearing even when he wasn't golfing. Faulk asked his doctor at one of his two yearly physicals, and the physician suggested he get it checked, just to be safe.
Faulk pointed out that his life has remained normal since the diagnosis, saying that he is actually doing more now than before.
"Since I've started on the medication, I don't really have a lot of issues."
Overall, the condition hasn't worsened.
“The little tremors that I get, you know, they are what they are,” Faulk said. “I just pay attention to my gait, while I walk, when I'm working out, my ability to balance. It’s still where it is.”
He credits his doctors for helping him get ahead of the disease by catching it early.
"Just start on the medication," Faulk said. "Don't wait for it to get worse."
Thakkar asked Faulk if he had discussed the diagnosis with his friends and family.
“I haven't really had the conversation with them about it,” Faulk said. “If it comes a time to where my lifestyle changes, then I will. Then that conversation could be had. I'm functioning. I'm good. You know, I just think I caught it early. I'm in a good place.”
Faulk remains in good spirits – pointing out that he can live with this disease and there are far worse things out in the world.
"I didn’t look at it like if I got a diagnosis, it was something bad that I was, you know, life was going to end," Faulk said, comparing his managing of Parkinson's to how he deals with other injuries. "Now, if you don’t take care of it, there’s an opportunity for that to be, but you have to take care of it."
The 53-year-old is advocating for people to get checked instead of ignoring potential warning signs, hoping the interview helps spread awareness – especially in the wake of former Tennessee Titans star Chris Johnson's ALS diagnosis.
One way or another, the former NFL star hopes to pass information along to the next generation.
"What you want to do with that information is pass it on to the next generation to make sure that they have it better, that they know more," Faulk said.
"And you're doing the leave this world a better place than it was, when I got here."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL Hall of Fame RB Marshall Faulk reveals Parkinson's diagnosis