Manchester United crock Owen Hargreaves may never be pain-free despite hitting the comeback trail last week, reports The Independent. After 18 months out of action following major operations on both knees, Hargreaves finally got back on the pitch again last Thursday when he turned out for Manchester United's second string at Altrincham.
Renowned Colorado-based surgeon Dr Richard Steadman told the 29 year old his knees were in a worse state than he had ever come across in 35 years of practicing.
"I wouldn't say I am pain free and I don't know if I can play through it," said Hargreaves.
"My training has improved over the last weeks and that is a very positive sign for me. I believe that it will continue to improve and progress.
"But I am still in the process of getting some injections to try to manage the pain because if I didn't have any I would have played at the beginning of the season.
"It's about training, getting these injections and trying to go forward."
Hargreaves managed 25 games during his debut Old Trafford campaign.
Yet as time progressed, he knew the injury was getting worse. It wasn't until he placed his trust in Steadman, who salvaged the careers of Roy Keane and Ruud van Nistelrooy amongst others in his more regular field of cruciate ligaments, that Hargreaves realised how great the extent of the damage truly was.
"Tendons are something that a lot of people think they know about, but don't really," he said.
"My first season at United I had the pain and was able to play through it but basically I shouldn't have been playing.
"In the end, the pain was just too high and I had to have surgery.
"I wouldn't wish it on anyone. There were massive operations, very severe, and a lot of the treatments since have been slightly experimental. You have to try what works.
"It's difficult to describe the pain. It's just pain," he said.
"At least the surgery did its job because before the operation my tendons obviously weren't in the greatest condition.
"I would like to progress from this point even more. Hopefully I will be fit this season, and going forward I will be able to play another six, seven or eight years."
He added, "The longest injury before that was when I broke my leg at Bayern Munich and I was out for a couple of months.
"Football is a physical game and injuries are part of it. But I could never imagine having one that has impacted on me so much.
"I thought - everyone thought - I would be fit for the start of the season. It didn't materialise.
"It has been a pretty humbling experience and I am sure many people doubted me, but anybody who knows me, knows that what I set my mind to, I get."
