Battling Nathan Aspinall has spoken of the key hospital visit that eased agony over elbow fears.
The Stockport star, who faces World No.1 Luke Humphries in Belfast on Night one of Premier League Darts, was left stunned in Bahrain last month after swelling appeared on his right arm.
Aspinall sought medical attention in the Kingdom and played through the issue over the World Series weekend. Having fought through injury problems last year, the 33-year-old was worried more setbacks could be on the way.
But having had more checks in England upon his return from the Middle East, it was confirmed to Aspinall that bursitis would not affect his game, even though the issue could remain through the next three or months.
He explained: “I’ve still got it. See it there, big lump. It wasn’t an insect bite, that’s what I thought it was originally. It just basically put a ball of fluid in my elbow and this weekend, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, there was nothing.
“I woke up Monday morning and it was like twice the size of that I’m going to have it for about three or four months.
“It doesn’t hurt, I can touch it, it doesn’t do anything. It doesn’t affect my throw. I’d like to say it does when I’ve had a bad game! But it actually doesn’t. It’s just one of those things that will just keep coming and going for the next few months. But it doesn’t affect my performance whatsoever.
“If I play bad, it’s all down to me, not my lump. I can’t probably say what I was saying? I couldn’t believe it. But, obviously, we seek professional advice and straight away I knew it wasn’t anything like I’d had in the past. It’s not going to affect my darts. So it was just one of those things. Went to the hospital when I got back from England and they confirmed it was just bursa. It’s not nice to have. It doesn’t look very nice, but it’s something of nothing, honestly.”
Aspinall, meanwhile, says he would support a change of ruling by the PDC for Premier League qualification, even though it would have seen him out of this year’s event. He received one of the four available wild-card picks, but his selection upset rivals such as Mike De Decker and caused a furore. He said: “It’s not a ranking event. That’s what people have got to remember as well. It is basically a big massive exhibition for 16 weeks. The sooner people realise that, it’s the players people want to see.
“In my opinion, and actually generally God’s honest truth I said this last year, if it was down to me, I’d make it the top eight in the world. To save all the stuff that I’ve been through, the disappointment from Mike De Decker, who’s World No.24. To save all that, is he in, is he not, top eight, done. That’s what I would do. Yes, I would have missed out on this year, I would have took it. In my opinion, top eight, if they make it ten players, they’re top 10 and then there’s no arguing, is there? And the rankings pick itself. But it’s not that, and I’m buzzing I’m in.
“I just love the buzz. The energy. If you can’t get up for a Premier League night, what is the point of playing darts? You’re playing in front of the biggest crowds, in the best venues, in the best cities. It’s amazing. I just love the louder the better for me. That’s the type of guy I am. I’m a bit of a party animal.
“For me, when I walk out on the crowd, they’re all singing. Not just the walk-on, but during the games they don’t stop singing. It’s like the World Championships, but every single Thursday night. It’s amazing. I think that’s why I look forward to every Thursday night.
“I’m probably the only player that, when week 16 or 17 comes, actually miss the Thursday nights. I think the rest of them are like: Oh God, it’s over. I actually do miss it. When I’ve done four months and then all of a sudden I’m at home on the Thursday, I miss it. I just think I enjoy it.”