Clay Walker isn’t letting his health struggles slow him down for good.
Back in 1996, Walker was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) at just 26 years old.
The disease causes breakdown of the protective covering of nerves, according to the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms of multiple sclerosis include weakness, trouble walking, vision changes, and more.
Over the years, he’s managed his diagnosis through treatment and lifestyle changes. Still, it hasn’t been an easy road, and the “Rumor Has It” singer has gone through several struggles.
This year in particular, Walker says he’s been facing more challenges with his condition than ever before. In an interview with PEOPLE, he opened up about what he’s been dealing with in 2025.
Walker told the outlet that his concerns began to grow when he started noticing that he was losing his balance more often than usual.
“At the beginning of the year, I noticed I was having a lot of difficulty with balance and walking, and it really started to worry me,” he shared. “I knew I had to do something.”
So, in March, he underwent surgery to have a baclofen pump implanted. The device delivers the medication directly into the spinal fluid to help relax his muscles and reduce spasticity.
Walker said that the surgery “gave me a lot of hope,” but unfortunately, the results weren’t as strong as he had expected.
“So far, you know, it’s not great,” he revealed. “It hasn’t done what I wanted it to. Balance has been an issue lately.”
However, he’s continued to push through and attend physical therapy, which has helped him see some small improvements overall.
“Am I walking perfect? No. Am I walking better? Absolutely. I got on a treadmill the other day without a harness holding me up to keep from falling, and I walked five minutes. That is progress.”
Even though Walker admits he’s “definitely going through a rough patch right now,” he’s still doing better in his MS journey than anyone ever expected.
“When I was first diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1996, the prognosis was horrific,” he said. “I was told that I wouldn’t be around very long and that I’d be in a wheelchair and that I would be dead pretty quickly because of the amount of lesions that I had on my spinal cord and brainstem and brain.”
Now, nearly 30 years later, Walker has beaten all the odds.
“We turned everything upside down,” he said. “We already won the battle, you know? We’ve got that to celebrate.”
Walker Isn’t Letting His Health Issues Stop Him From Doing What He Loves
Even though it’s been tough, he has been on his Drive Me Smooth tour this past year and already has most of 2026 planned with a full schedule of shows.
“Does it bother me that people have to watch me struggle to get off stage? Yes, it does,” Walker admits. “But my band is very in tune with me, and they know if I’m struggling or not. All it takes is a glance. They are always there, especially my bass player, Curt Walsh. I’m like, ‘Dude, if you see me falling, fall in front of me so I don’t get hurt.’ “
“My joy comes from being on stage,” he continued. “I mean, there is a rush of energy and endorphins that has no comparison. I don’t think there’s any drug that has that big of an effect. It’s crazy.”
And as far as he’s concerned, there’s no end to any of it in sight.
“I’m not giving up,” he adds. “I’m like a pit bull. You can swing me off a cliff and I ain’t letting go. So many people have so many different crosses they have to carry or bear — and this is mine.”