Addiction can happen to anyone, including Rex Chapman. The former star basketball player for the University of Kentucky enjoyed a 12-year career in the NBA, but what followed was a 14-year battle with prescription narcotics.

Chapman began taking the opioid OxyContin to manage pain after an emergency appendectomy, and within 2 days he fell in love with the sensation the prescription painkiller provided. Eventually, things escalated to the point that he was taking approximately 10 OxyContin and 40 Vicodin a day, and his health and his life spiraled out of control. After several stints in rehab, Chapman says he’s been opioid-free since 2014.

In this episode of Move Forward Radio, we share highlights of a discussion Chapman had with physical therapist Steve Anderson to tell his story, which he hopes can assist others.

Learn more about the risks of opioids and learn how physical therapists treat pain through movement, hands-on care, and patient education

Download the podcast on iTunes or listen below.

Thank you to Rex Chapman, Steve Anderson, and PT Pros for sharing this conversation. If you want to hear the full 30-minute conversation, listen to the Profiles in Leadership podcast on iTunes.