Huddersfield Giants utility forward Larne Patrick says he could return from injury two weeks earlier than first anticipated.
The 25-year-old Wales international suffered a dislocated kneecap and damaged his MCL (medial collateral ligament) in the Giants’ Super League curtain-raiser against Wigan a fortnight ago. His diagnosis was three months on the sidelines, but he is hopeful of returning to action within 10 weeks.
“I’m hoping I can push for 10 weeks but the worst case scenario is 12,” he told TotalRL.com.
“Luckily there’s no surgery, I’m in a brace for six weeks, so it will heal naturally which is good.
“There’s nothing I can really do about it to be honest, except focus on getting back. It was actually best case scenario, because we were worrying it might be the ACL [anterior cruciate ligament], which is six months, so I’m trying to take positives out of that.”
Whether or not he makes it back quicker than expected will ultimately be up to Patrick, but for now there’s nothing he can do but rest.
“For the first six weeks it’s not really down to me but luckily I’ve got a great back room staff who are working on me and trying to work on different techniques.
“I think last year Jason Chan had the same injury so they know what to do and what works, so I’m in good hands. In the last four or five weeks it’s down to me to push myself and get as fit as I can really.”
The Blackpool-born forward added: “It wasn’t the best of feelings.
“I’ve said to some of the lads it felt like tearing a drumstick off a cooked chicken!”
