As Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show concluded after 19 seasons, fans have reflected on her career’s highs and lows. Recently, DeGeneres, 64, shared her experience with Covid-19, which included an unexpected symptom: severe back pain. She first contracted the virus in December 2020, when knowledge about Covid symptoms was still evolving. Following her diagnosis, Ellen noted that “excruciating” back pain was a surprising side effect, something she hadn’t expected.

Ellen, known for her passion for animal conservation, shifted her focus after her show ended, dedicating time to projects like the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in Rwanda. However, she took to social media to share her Covid experience, emphasizing how little was known about back pain as a potential symptom at the time. Medical experts later confirmed that Covid could exacerbate existing muscle pain or stiffness due to inactivity or inflammation.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) initially only listed “muscle or body aches” among Covid symptoms, but reports of back pain became more common. Decreased mobility during lockdowns, particularly due to the increase in working from home, also contributed to back pain for many. Though back pain alone isn’t a definitive Covid symptom, it highlights how lifestyle changes during the pandemic affected overall health.