Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Cherries: Fletch cautious in fight for fitness
Cherries star Steve Fletcher is tentatively hoping he could be over the worst of the most frustrating injury of his 21-year career.[LNB] Fletcher has been suffering with a condition known as plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the ligament that surrounds the heel.[LNB] The 38-year-old has been forced to watch from the sidelines since being struck down by the common ailment at the start of Cherries' pre-season campaign.[LNB] And although he is reluctant to set a comeback date, a steady improvement in his condition over the past fortnight has given the striker a more optimistic outlook.[LNB] Fletcher told the Daily Echo: It's been six weeks since it happened and the first three or four were terrible. I couldn't do anything and was in a lot of pain just trying to walk on it.[LNB] I have spoken to lots of people who have had it and the recovery varies from a couple of weeks to several months and that is the hardest thing to get your head around.[LNB] It's tough not knowing what it is going to be like from day to day or if it is ever going to get better. It's been hard for me, mentally, and also because I haven't been able to give the manager a time scale. With all of my previous injuries, I have usually had a definitive time scale and you know you are building up to something. With this one, you are just waiting for the day when it eases off.[LNB] Until the start of this season, Fletcher had missed just one of Cherries' 67 league games since he returned to the club from Crawley in January 2009.[LNB] Fletcher added: The surgeon said it could come out of the blue, which it did. But he also said it was strange that it had happened to me after 21 years of playing professional football.[LNB] There is no swelling or bruising, just a bit of redness on the heel. A scan revealed a small tear but it is the inflammation that is causing the problem. I have had three bouts of shock-wave treatment which has helped.[LNB] As soon as it starts to wear off, you can up your rehab and I did that a couple of weeks ago. But I have still got to be so careful because I don't want to put myself back to where I was.[LNB] I've been working on a daily basis with Steve Hard (Cherries physio) and it's all about how you react the following day.[LNB] Thankfully, everything is going forward rather than back at the moment.[LNB] I need to start jogging on hard ground and jumping and landing. That will be my next step later this week.[LNB] It has been a very disheartening time for me but at least things seem to be heading in the right direction.[LNB] I can't say I can see the light at the end of the tunnel but I'm feeling much better about myself. I wake up every morning now and feel as though I'm getting somewhere.[LNB]
