Original source News of the World, 20th March 2010 (Original Link)
Prolotherapy is a treatment offered by the Oving clinic. View our prolotherapy treatment page.
RIO FERDINAND has been given six spinal injections as part of a pioneering medical procedure to save his World Cup dream.
The Manchester United and England captain needed the glucose jabs to cure his crippling back injury which turned him into “an old hunchback” and threatened to KO his place in Fabio Capello’s squad for South Africa.
And in an exclusive News of the World interview, Ferdinand hits back at the snipers who said he was finished and reveals how the radical treatment, plus intense physiotherapy and an orthopaedic CUSHION have cured the problem that has plagued him for a staggering 18 MONTHS.
Ferdinand admits he could hardly walk after matches, missed as much as 70 per cent of training, often needed painkillers to sleep at night and visited 10 different specialists.
He also confesses he hid the severity of his injury from the club.
But as he prepared for today’s Premier League showdown with Liverpool at Old Trafford, Ferdinand, 31, declared: “I am no longer in pain.
“It looks like the problem has been cured and I’m confident my back won’t go again.
“I’m training at full pelt now. Something I wasn’t able to do before and, physically, I am much better now than at any time during the past 18 months.”
Ferdinand had the prolotherapy injections at the Blackberry Clinic in Milton Keynes following consultation with United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
This is a revolutionary form of treatment in this country, but the United centre-half added: “It is used widely in America. I also know of rowers and rugby players who have had it.
“The prolotherapy was very painful, but I noticed an improvement almost straight away.
“After the first two injections I wasn’t feeling the same pain any more.
“I would have an injection, rest the next day, but the following day could go jogging, lift weights, go swimming and run on the treadmill.
“So I was able to train hard to get back to full fitness.”