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Former NFL player Chad Johnson used to soak his ankle in urine

Posted at 7:52 PM, Feb 10, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-10 20:06:34-05

In his prime, Chad Johnson (née Ochocinco) was one of scariest receivers in the NFL. His speed and agility made him a threat to score any time he was on the field.

His secret potion? Well...

On a Wednesday appearance on ESPN’s “MIke & Mike in the Morning,” Johnson said he helped heal from ankle sprains by collecting his teammates’ urine, heating it up and soaking his ankle in the...cocktail…for 30 minutes.

As gross as it sounds, Johnson may have been on to something. He was remarkably durable throughout his career, as he missed no more than three games a season over his final 10 seasons in the league. That’s no easy feat in pro football.

Johnson isn’t the only athlete to use urine as a healing method. In the early 2000s, Chicago Cub Moises Alou, one of the few modern players to not wear batting gloves, urinated on his hands to heal blisters. Teammate and pitcher Kerry Wood also used the technique to prevent blisters from forming on his throwing hand.

Hey, whatever works.

Alex Hider is a writer for the E.W. Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @alexhider.