World number 74 Ian Burns has been confined to bed for two weeks after suffering a back injury on a fairground ride, forcing him to miss three qualifying events and jeopardizing his season.
Injury Details
The 41-year-old from Preston was at a local carnival with his children when the ride, called The Sizzler, jolted and caused immediate pain in his lower back. Burns, who has a history of disc problems, said: 'It's been a tough one. I've had back injuries before but this has been the worst.'
Despite initial improvement, a trip to a beer garden to watch England play Argentina in the World Cup aggravated the injury. Sitting on a wooden bench caused his back to seize up, and the next day he could barely walk. A physio advised him to stay in bed, and he has been bedridden for 14 days.
Impact on Career
The injury forced Burns to withdraw from the Shenzhen Open, British Open, and English Open qualifiers, which he described as 'frustrating' given that every ranking point and pound matters for his professional status. He criticized the calendar's block scheduling of qualifiers, suggesting that if they were spread out, he might have missed only one event.
Beyond playing, Burns has had to cancel coaching sessions, another source of frustration. However, his online presence has flourished, leading to a global snooker store and clients in places like Fiji, the Bahamas, and Mauritius.
Burns hopes to return for the next block of qualifiers in mid-September for the Northern Ireland Open, International Championship, and Scottish Open.
