Sunderland midfielder Jack Rodwell was given 50 injections in five days in a bid to regain his fitness at the Stadium of Light.
Rodwell has been hampered by injuries since arriving from Manchester City last year, with the 24-year-old managing just three Premier League starts this term.
The Englishman's latest struggles saw him travel to Germany for treatment with former Bayern Munich club doctor Dr Hans Muller-Wolfhart.
"I flew to see him in Munich. I was there from Monday to Friday morning and had about 50 injections over that time. He injects and injects," explained Rodwell.
"There's a lot of anti-inflammatories and lubricants for the joints – it's all technical stuff, the physios know more than me.
"I just go along with it, and I'll do anything to stay fit. There's nothing major, it's just niggling injuries, but I don't want it to continue. When you're out for a week here and there, it sets you back and you're out of the team."
Rodwell will be hoping to add to his 71 minutes from last weekend when Sunderland - 19th in the standings and two points adrift of safety - travel to embattled champions Chelsea on Saturday.
