DENIS OVENS has revealed that his run to the semi-finals of the Speedy Services UK Open came with him still only at '80 percent' in his recovery from thoracic outlet syndrome.
The 54-year-old won through to the semi-finals in Bolton for a third successive year last weekend, before being denied a spot in the final by Phil Taylor.
Having started in the preliminary round on Thursday night, Ovens took victory in seven games to reach the last four - but the achievement is made even more remarkable given that the Stevenage thrower has faced a six-month battle with injury.
Ovens was forced to withdraw from the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship during his first round game with Kevin Munch in December, having suffered what he thought was a trapped nerve in his back just before that tournament.
He was eventually diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome, which is a rare condition affecting the neck and shoulder - and in Ovens' case his ability to even throw a dart.
"A month after the World Championship, I couldn't even throw as far as the bulls-eye," he revealed. "People can't understand where I've come from.
"For the first three months I was seing a chiropractor, which didn't really do any good. I went back to the doctor because it was costing me a fortune.
"He said that he didn't disbelieve what I had, but he referred me for physio on the NHS and in the meantime to see an osteopath.
"I went the next day, and within 15 seconds of telling the osteopath my symptoms he told me exactly what I had.
"He worked on me for about 45 minutes and I was able to throw again. He sorted me out in the first week, and I was on my way then.
"I was 50%, then 60%, then 70% and probably by the time I went to Bolton around 80%.
"It's intermittent, it's still there and I think it's going to take a long time to get over it, if I will ever get rid of it.
"There's a bit of rheumatism and old age there too and I don't want anyone else to have to suffer like this! It's so frustrating and it can happen to anybody."
Ovens' run to the semi-finals in Bolton saw him pocket £10,000, which will help to cover his medical bills - and softened the blow of a 10-2 loss to Taylor in the semis.
"It's becoming a regular thing and I hope it carries on for many years to come!" he said.
"There's a lot of mixed emotions because I know how I can play, but three months ago I didn't have any money in the UK Open Qualifiers and I couldn't throw a dart, so to go to Bolton and make the semi-finals makes me proud.
"I enjoyed it against Phil. Normally you don't enjoy it - but I had nowhere to go anyway, especially with the way he started off.
"He was 5-0 up and averaging 107 or 108, but last year I was doing that to other players. I couldn't do that this year, I was stuck around an 86 average and it's frustrating.
"It hurts, but I will be back."
Ovens' next challenge is to attempt to qualify for July's World Matchplay, with his injury worries earlier this year meaning he has some ground to make up in the race for qualifying places through the ProTour Order of Merit.
"I've got a lot of work to," said Ovens, who continues that challenge in this weekend's Players Championship double-header in Birmingham.
"If I'd won the UK Open I'd have gone up to 14th in the world, and maybe I wouldn't have had to worry about qualifying.
"The European Tour events could make a difference for me and there are four Players Championships too, so I'll take each event at a time."