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Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian in history and has won 28 medals across five Olympic games, including 23 gold. Many consider the swimmer the best athlete in modern history.
Everything about Phelps was special, including his physique. The athlete is 6’4ft but had an astounding wingspan of 6’7ft. Many have done studies and written theories on Phelps’ extraordinary body and how it helped him become the best swimmer.
While his physique is considered a medical marvel, it also landed the athlete in trouble.
Michael Phelps has written about Marfan Syndrome
Rumors claimed that Michael Phelps may have been suffering from Marfan syndrome, a genetic disease that affects the body's connective tissues.
Some even began worrying for Phelps as the connective tissue disorder could become lethal as it affects the heart. However, it was soon clear that Phelps did have some early symptoms of Marfan syndrome.
Phelps may not have suffered from Marfan syndrome but he mentioned it in his book and people began talking about it. In his autobiography Michael Phelps: Beneath the Surface, Phelps described his encounter with the syndrome and said that he is disease-free.
Phelps wrote:
“My heart rate was accelerating, and Bob suggested I see the doctor. Because I was very flexible and had long hands and feet, I had some early symptoms of Marfan syndrome, a disease that affects connective tissues and can be fatal if there is leakage to the vessels that lead to the heart."
"If you reach out your arms and form a T and your wingspan is longer than your height, you can be at risk. In my case, those measurements have always been very close.”
Phelps went on to state that his mother and coach suggested it as a routine check for young athletes as they didn’t want to scare him. He added:
“I didn't know at the time why the doctor decided to look into this. My mom and Bob didn't want me to freak out, so they told me it was simply a good idea for young athletes to have an EKG test in order to look at the heart."
"I have been tested once a year ever since at John’s Hopkins under the direction of Dr. Peter Roe, and the tissues are strong, the aortic route is clear, and my heart is in good shape.”
More about Marfan syndrome
Marfan syndrome affects connective tissues and as they are present throughout the body, the condition can affect many systems too. The condition could end up affecting the skeleton, eyes, heart and blood vessels, nervous systems, skin and lungs, according to the National Marfan Foundation.
As per the National Marfan Foundation, there are around 200,000 people in the US who have the disease or similar conditions as of 2015. More importantly, almost half of these cases remained undiagnosed.
Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman notably died in 1986 after suffering from Marfan syndrome. Even though Michael Phelps doesn’t suffer from the disorder, he did contribute to starting a conversation about Marfan syndrome.
