Michael Smith links up with Man City physio in bid to save darts career: "It's mad that he’ll come to work on me after doing Erling Haaland or Phil Foden’s legs"

Michael Smith isn't currently enjoying the best period of his career. The former world champion went straight out against Kevin Doets at the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship and has not managed to win a single match since. However, 'Bullyboy', despite injury concerns, is currently working very hard on his return to the absolute top of the darts world.

Smith recently indicated that he suffers from arthritis on his wrist and is hampered in darts as a result. To make matters worse, Smith recently suffered another injury following a scooter accident whilst racing his son.

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"I did that on Christmas Day - I bought the kids two scooters, I thought I’d race one of them, I went over what I thought was a puddle but it was actually a pothole," Smith details of his scooter induced injuries in quotes collected by Mirror Sport. “I’ve hit that at 22mph, straight over the handlebars and hit my shoulder into the floor. I couldn’t pick my arm up for seven weeks. I also had a big cut. Even now I’ve still got a bit of bone sticking out in my shoulder."

Smith heads to Minehead this weekend for the 2025 UK Open and although a big run is greatly needed, he does so with few expectations. “I’ve had cortisone injections in my wrist three weeks ago and my throwing hand is fine at the minute. It was a bit sore on the joint. First of all I threw a dart and it completely missed the board at home and hit the mural which I’ve just painted in my games room, so that was fun," he says. “But for the last week and a half I’ve been able to practise for four hours a day, which I’ve not been able to do for the last 12 weeks. I’ve had the arthritis for years. The worst thing about going to Minehead is because it’s so cold there and the cold gets to my wrist."

“I’ve got Man City physio Ben Thompson working with me. My wife Dagmara met Ben at the Manchester Premier League meeting a while back. It’s mad that he’ll come to work on me after doing Erling Haaland or Phil Foden’s legs and then be working on my back and shoulders!" Smith continues. “Ben says AC joint injuries are more common in rugby, and I’ve got a bit of bone that sticks out now, but I’m told that will never go away.”

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