Life is tough if you are an ageing action star.

A fact proved by veteran actors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone as they were pictured after ‘coincidentally’ being treated in hospital for stunt-related injuries.

Former Governor of California Schwarzenegger posted the picture on his Whosay account page just hours after it was announced the pair will be co-starring in another movie called The Tomb.

A not-so-Rocky relationship: Arnold Schwarzenegger seemed delighted to be posing in bed with Sylvester Stallone

Spoof? Stallone also appeared to have a syringe sticking out of his neck, causing speculation the picture was set up

Schwarzenegger accompanied the shot by saying: ‘After all the action, stunts and physical abuse shooting The Expendables 2 and The Last Stand, it was time for a little tune up on my shoulder.

Look who was coincidentally waiting in line behind me for his shoulder surgery.

‘Now we’re ready for another round of great times and action when we shoot The Tomb.’

With Schwarzenegger, now 64, and Stallone, 65, many people will surely be wondering whether the pair should maybe leave the action genre to younger actors more suited to the physical rigours of such films.

However, sceptics may wonder whether the coincidence is just a bit too good to be true, given that they both have a couple of movies to promote.

The fact Stallone seemed to have a syringe sticking out of his neck also suggested it may have been a spoof.

Arnold and Sly were massive rivals in the 80s, and continually tussled to be Hollywood’s biggest action star.

80s icons: The famous duo battled it out to be the kings of action in franchises such as Conan and Rambo

And while the Rambo and Rocky franchises were hugely lucrative, the former seemed to edge it due to the massive box office success of the likes of Terminator 2, Total Recall and Kindergarten Cop.

Nowadays however the pair seem to be fast friends, and will be teaming up for the third time in recent years in The Tomb.

Arnold had a cameo in 2010’s The Expendables, he has an extended part in the upcoming sequel.

As they were: Schwarzenegger and Stallone, along with Bruce Willis, back in 1991

In their latest project Stallone will play a man who designs an inescapable high-tech prison, who becomes a prisoner after being double-crossed.

Luckily he will be helped in his quest to escape with the help of a friendly fellow inmate played by Schwarzenegger.

The Austrian Oak is just finishing filming on The Last Stand, which is his first foray into the world of serious westerns.

Co-stars: The pair also appeared together in last year’s action movie The Expendables