Sam Smith couldn't walk for a month after a skiing accident: 'I was an idiot'

Sam Smith is looking back at the time they got out over their skis — literally.

The "Stay with Me" singer, 32, revealed in a July 18 episode of the "Sidetracked" podcast that they "completely ripped" their ACL in an "awful" skiing accident that left them unable to walk for weeks.

"I was an idiot," Smith said. "I went on a black slope on the second day. ... Couldn't do it. I got taken down in a blood bag. It was the worst."

The Oscar-winning singer did not specify when the accident took place but explained that as a result of the injury, they "couldn't walk, basically, for a month on this leg," which was the "first time I'd ever not been able to move."

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According to the Mayo Clinic, an ACL injury is a tear or sprain of the anterior cruciate ligament, which connects the thigh bone to the shinbone. It occurs most commonly in sports like soccer, basketball, football and skiing. Treatment can include surgery, the clinic notes, though Smith noted that they did not go this route.

During this time, Smith said they were "very anxious" after having struggled with anxiety for years. But the Grammy-winner said they used this period of immobility "as an excuse" to take better care of their mental health. "I've been really focusing on my mental stuff the last seven months," Smith said.

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As part of this, Smith said they started trying to stay off their phone in the evening and living "by candlelight for the last hour" before going to sleep.

"Most of the nights, I fail," Smith said. "I'm on my phone texting. But as much as I can, I just try and have dim light before I go to bed, and it works."

Smith has previously opened up about struggling with their mental health. "I've always been sad, but for the first time I actually really had mental health issues, like panic attacks, anxiety and depression," the singer said in a 2020 interview with Apple Music, per The Independent. "It really hit me hard."

Last year, Smith was forced to cancel tour dates due to a vocal cord injury. "My vocal cords are healing, and after a week of vocal rest, it’s looking good," Smith shared after visiting a doctor in June 2023. "It's looking like I’m going to be OK for the rest of the shows, and that’s really amazing news."

Contributing: Naledi Ushe

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sam Smith skiing accident: Singer recalls tearing ACL