Each case is different and there is no single cause, but many players claim that it is due to the fear of missing out.
“It’s caused by anxiety and stress,” Kevin said.
“Where others have panic attacks, for me it manifests itself as dartitis.”
Dr. Duffy says that, perhaps because of the name, players tend to view peroneal inflammation as a problem unique to the sport, which therefore requires unique solutions.
“It’s just another cognitive disorder and that’s why it needs to be treated that way,” he says. “The underlying mechanisms that cause dartitis are the same mechanisms that cause other anxiety disorders.”
He recommends cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to enable the player to redefine dartitis as a challenge they must overcome.
Kevin is trying to overcome this condition using hypnotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy, taking part in sessions with Chris O’Connor, whose company Eccleston Park Hypnotherapy is an official ‘hypnotherapy partner’ of the Professional Darts Players Association (PDPA).
During the session, the patient lies on a sofa and is put into a trance where “they are put through all the confidence work and motivational work,” O’Connor said.
“The idea is to encourage them to visualize the area of their life they want to improve.”
After eight sessions, Kevin’s peroneal inflammation seemed to be cured for good. But two weeks later, during a televised match on the World Senior Darts tour, the condition resurfaced. “I was really, really disappointed,” he said. – I thought it had already passed.
He is now back to working with Mr. O’Connor on a long-term solution to the problem.
