Sugar injections proved to be a bitter-sweet experience for St Johnstone’s Kevin Rutkiewicz.
On the one hand, they have cured a lingering knee ligament injury. On the other, he cheerfully admits they were excruciating.
The big centre-half damaged his medial ligament for the second time this season in a training-ground accident in December.
Now, the popular “Dinky” is just desperate for some game time before the season ends next month.
“I went to turn in training and my studs caught in the grass,” he said.
“It has taken so long to heal as it was in the same place as my previous injury.
“We got so far with my rehab but it was not becoming any better and there was still a slackness in my knee.
“So I was sent to receive sugar injections in Leicester from Dr Roger Oldham.
“He has treated a few of the boys here before, like Kevin Moon.
“I flew down to receive one jab a week for a month. The doctor described it as getting an operation through a needle.
“They inject it right into the ligament and I have to admit it is extremely painful. However, they are phenomenal and my knee is now absolutely pristine it really is a miracle treatment.
“I played 45 minutes in a closed-doors match against Dundee last week and I came through that okay,” he continued.
“So it is just about getting games now.
“It has been a hugely-frustrating season for myself but a fantastic one for the boys, the management and the club,” he added.
“I have been in these positions before with injury but it is probably more annoying because we are back in the SPL now and I wanted to prove to the gaffer that he was right to give me a chance here.
“I have a real motivation to achieve in this league as I have had my doubters with people in football writing me off.
“Partly, that was to do with attitude problems but I believe I have corrected those.
“All I want now is to finish this season as strongly as possible.”Rutkiewicz’s club will end the campaign in the lower half of the table after narrowly missing out on a top six place to Hearts.
The defender believes that bad luck played a big part in that but insists that St Johnstone will not be coasting in the games they have left.
“I can tell you right now there is genuine disappointment that we have not reached the top six,” he said.
“I believe that having watched a lot of games, simply because I have not been fit, we are a worthy top six team.
“I think the reason we are not there probably has a lot to do with our start to the season when we certainly did not get a lot of luck.
“Despite that, what we have done is still a great achievement. We have come up from the first division and every player has done their bit and stood tall.
“Our main aim this season was to consolidate our place in the SPL and we have done that.
“But we are certainly not going to rest on our laurels and we are determined to finish as high up the table as possible to put a benchmark down for next season.”
Rutkiewicz began his senior career at Aberdeen and he admits he is not shocked by the Dons’ dismal recent run of results which culminated in a 3-1 loss last Sunday against St Johnstone at Pittodrie.
“Looking at their team, I think they are very young,” he added.
“I think you can pepper your side with one or two youngsters but right now, they have five or six. They have been asked to do a man’s job at a club where the |expectation levels are huge.
“For instance, they are looking at Zander Diamond to come back from injury and lead them out of their slump but he is still a young player learning his trade so it is a bit unfair.
“If you look at Garry Kenneth at Dundee United, he has played alongside guys with real experience like Lee Wilkie, Darren Dods and Andy Webster who know the game inside out.
“They do not have that at Pittodrie so they are struggling.
“I am surprised the hierarchy at Aberdeen have not addressed the problem as it happened before during my time there when they escaped relegation on a technicality.
“Personally, I would like Aberdeen to avoid the drop as I still hold the club close to my heart after they gave me my first chance in the game and I believe they would be a massive loss to the SPL.”