Ryan Dow hopes to inject more energy into Dundee United’s league challenge at Inverness after getting some needle himself.
The Tannadice frontman has been suffering from a painful condition called osteitis pubis, which has affected his stomach and abdominal area.
Under doctors orders, Dow had an injection last week and is now ready to try to help second-placed United keep pressure on Premiership leaders Hamilton Accies by beating ICT in the Highland capital.
Dow said: “I’m fine now but I had a bit of osteitis pubis.
“Initially, we thought it was maybe a stomach strain but then we thought the problem might have gone into my groin, so I got a scan the other week.
“It showed up what it was and our physio Jeff Clarke recommended that I get an injection and so too did the doctor.
“So I had an injection and since then it seems to have helped it a bit. Hopefully that will continue to be the case.
“Getting the needle wasn’t really pleasant but it has helped. Touch wood it goes well from now on.
“I picked up the condition at the start of the season. It was sore then and it gradually got worse.
“On reflection, I think playing on the artificial surface at the Kilmarnock earlier this month made it flare up a wee bit more because of the hard surface.
“It was really sore after that and I didn’t start the Partick game (he came on as a second-half substitute). I hope this is the end of it and that I can move on.”
While United are snapping at Accies’ heels ahead of the last game of the first round of fixtures, Inverness are just behind the Tangerines in third.
That should make for an interesting and entertaining game.
That is certainly what Dow is hoping for.
He said: “If Inverness win they go ahead of us so we will be looking to get the three points to get a wee gap over them and keep the pressure on Hamilton.
“We are only one point behind Hamilton and if results go in our favour, we could go back top of the league. But we know it will be a hard game.”
“Hopefully the game will open up on Saturday and we can show what we can do.”
Manager Jackie McNamara has spoken of the need for his players not to get anxious or fearful on the ball but instead express themselves during games.
That was yet another example of United not being happy with how they are playing while winning games.
Dow said: “Sometimes it doesn’t go for you but we just need things to click. We just need one good performance to get us going.
“We got the win against Partick last weekend, which was good, but it wasn’t a good performance. We set high standards for ourselves so even though we are winning we are disppointed with the way we are playing.
“Personally, I think that’s a good sign. Maybe some people would be happy after the Partick game but we’re not.
“We’re looking to get both the right result and the right performance. Obviously, the result is the most important thing but we’re looking to play well at the same time.
“On a personal note, I also feel as though there’s more to come from me.”
The Tangerines will have striker Mario Bilate available but midfielder Paul Paton and defender Mark Wilson have been left out of the squad while the club condicts an internal investigation into their conduct.
Meanwhile, Inverness defender Josh Meekings feels United’s summer talent drain is a good thing for Scottish football but he admits Caley Thistle have benefited from keeping their team intact.
ICT retained all their first-team players in the close season, including Northern Ireland striker Billy McKay, while United sold young Scots Ryan Gauld and Andy Robertson to Sporting Lisbon and Hull for a combined fee of more than £5 million.
But both teams have started the season well and Meekings feels United can be proud of the fact they are producing players that big clubs want to sign.
The 22-year-old said: “I wouldn’t say that’s a bad thing, I think it shows that the Scottish league has some great players in it and the likes of Championship teams are looking at these sorts of players and want to take them away from the clubs.
“Obviously it’s disappointing when a player leaves a club but they have every right to, they have worked hard and they have done all they can for the club and it’s up to them to continue their future.
“It’s a good sign. It shows the football is a good standard and everyone will look at it and say ‘they must be doing something right up in Scotland’.”