Sam Smith recently shared the harrowing experience of a skiing accident that left them unable to walk for a month. In a candid episode of the Sidetracked with Annie and Nick podcast, released on July 18, the singer detailed their ordeal with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and subsequent recovery.
Smith, who uses they/them pronouns, recounted the incident that occurred earlier this year. “I completely ripped my ACL. I was skiing. I was an idiot and went on a black slope on the second day,” the 32-year-old said. “I got taken down in a blood bag. It was the worst. It’s a permanent thing.”
The injury, they explained, involved the complete tearing of the ACL, a crucial ligament that helps stabilise the knee.
Opting for a non-surgical route, Smith faced significant challenges during their recovery. “It’s in between your bones and helps you jump and spring around. It completely ripped and I decided to go down the non-surgical route but I couldn’t walk for a month on this leg and it was awful,” they continued. The singer was first seen with a leg brace and walking stick in Soho, New York City, back in January.
The period of immobility was a difficult one for Smith, who admitted, “It was the first time I’d ever not been able to move and I was holding onto a bit of weight. I was very anxious. I used it as an excuse to get my s**t together.” This time of forced rest allowed Smith to reflect and reset various aspects of their life.
In addition to discussing their injury, Smith revealed that they recently made significant changes to their digital life. Needing a U.S. phone number and desiring a fresh start, Smith got a new phone and deleted old contacts, including numbers of exes. “I actually just got rid of my phone and I got a new phone. It’s the first time I don’t have my library of music that I’d had since I was like 11,” Smith said. “I started again, fully started again. I needed an American number and my phone was just full of people like exes and all these different people through the years.”
The singer also took a bold step by removing social media apps from their phone. “And I took social media off. Everything. It’s crazy. I find myself sitting on benches now in parks just looking at the trees,” they added.