Yahoo Lifestyle Sam Smith Says ‘Awful’ Skiing Accident Left Them Unable To Walk For A Month
Sam Smith was left unable to walk for a month after their ski excursion didn’t go according to plan.
While recently appearing on BBC’s “Sidetracked with Annie and Nick” podcast, the singer, 32, revealed they tore their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after overestimating their skiing skills on a black slope, a challenging route for more advanced skiers.
“I completely ripped my ACL,” Smith, who goes by they/them pronouns, explained of the incident. “I was an idiot and went on a black slope on the second day. I got taken down in a blood bag. It was the worst.”
The “Stay with Me” songwriter didn’t specify when the incident took place, but People reports that Smith was spotted wearing a brace on their leg and holding a walking stick in New York City in January.
“It’s in between your bones and helps you jump and spring around,” Smith said of the ligament in the knee that helps stabilize the knee joint. “It completely ripped, and I decided to go down the nonsurgical route, but I couldn’t walk for a month on this leg and it was awful.”
The “Latch” crooner acknowledged that the accident did give them the push they needed to focus more on their health.
“It was the first time I’d ever not been able to move, and I was holding on to a bit of weight,” they added during the July 18 episode. “I was very anxious. I used it as an excuse to get my shit together.”
To get their health back on track, Smith said they revamped their morning and night routines.
“I started icing every morning, started getting into my circadian rhythm, and a big part of that is light exposure to your eyes,” they shared. “So in the morning, you’d try to get as much sunlight as you can, and then in the evening, you’d stay off your phone and try to basically live by candlelight for the last hour before you sleep.”
ACL tears are typically treated with “RICE” therapy, which includes rest, ice, compression of the affected knee, and elevation of the knee, according to the National Library of Medicine.
“Most of the nights, I fail,” the musician joked. “I’m on my phone texting.”
Listen to Smith’s full interview below.
