From shingles to smiles: Why Olympic figure skaters learn to mask their pain

MILAN – At 36, Evan Bates has been skating for over two decades, beginning his Olympic career with a splashy debut at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

That is around the time he began experiencing chronic pain.

“I’ve been dealing with back and neck issues for years,” the American ice dancing medal favourite said on Wednesday. “It’s mileage on the body.”

Past performances of Bates skating with his longtime partner, Madison Chock, share no hint of the athlete’s medical woes.