Michael Smith has revealed that he is suffering with arthritis in his throwing hand and also dealing with a shoulder injury as he vows to battle back to his best. The 2023 world champion has had a quiet couple of years in terms of his results since his Alexandra Palace glory. A first round defeat in the World Championship this time round has seen him slip down to number 16 in the world and he missed out on Premier League selection this year.

Bully Boy suffered another early exit on Thursday as he was beaten in the first round of the World Masters by Danny Noppert, but he has now explained that there is good reason for his poor form. In a statement on social media, the 34-year-old wrote: ‘Feels like this needed to be said as I’m annoyed seeing “I’m finished” or “what’s happening it’s this or that.”. ‘The last six weeks I’ve had grade two AC [acromioclavicular] shoulder injury and seeking physio every two-three days to help that but for three-four years I’ve been fighting something else.

‘I broke both my wrists when I was 19 and now it’s catching up with me and now suffering with arthritis to my right hand. ‘This isn’t sympathy or a cry for help. This is letting you all in to it. I’ve never given up or stopped from any pain. ‘I played a World final with a broken hand. I made a UK Open final with a hole in my groin. I’ve won Pro Tours and Euros with problems with my ankle.

‘What this statement means is this is me opening up and letting you all know. I didn’t say earlier as I was scared of losing the Prem or losing the World Series but I wasn’t picked anyway so why not now. ‘I see the specialist [on] Monday and when I know you will know what will happen over the next month or so. I’ll never let anything beat me and I promise I’ll be back very VERY quickly.’.

Smith told Metro about his nightmare wrist injury back in 2021, explaining: ‘Christmas Eve when I was 19, I slipped on the ice, put my hands down and snapped both my wrists. ‘I was in casts for five or six months. I couldn’t do anything, showering with two casts was the worst.’. The World Championship final he played with a broken hand was his first run to the biggest game in the sport in 2019.

He lost the game 7-3 to Michael van Gerwen and injured himself mid-match by punching a door. ‘When I was 3-0 down, during the break I punched a toilet door out the back in frustration,’ he told The Sun. ‘My watch dial button dug into the back of my hand and snapped a bone. I knew I had done some damage straight away because I couldn’t clench my hand or hold anything properly. ‘When Barry Hearn presented me with the runner-up trophy I had to cradle it under my arm, instead of holding it aloft.