Amjad on the mend

Kent seamer Amjad Khan's rehab from a knee injury has been an extremely gradual process, from the diagnosis to the operation to teaching him how to run and bowl again.

"I initially damaged the ligament in August 2006 during a game, when I was fielding,” he told ecb.co.uk.

"The surgeon we consulted then said that I didn't need an operation, so I carried on. Then in February 2007 I felt something go horribly wrong as I suffered a sharp pain in my knee.

"At the time I was in Loughborough bowling as it was close to when England A were going to India and Bangladesh.

"So I went to India to see whether or not it would improve and it didn't, but I carried on to Bangladesh anyway and then after two days in Bangladesh I was on a plane home.

"We saw Andy Williams, the surgeon two days after I came back and he did an MRI scan on the knee and found some damage that needed fixing straight away - so he did."

The operation was a success, but the start of a long journey back for Amjad, who added: "I spent the first nine weeks after the operation on crutches, not being able to do very much, not even driving.

"And as the nine weeks progressed I could see my calves getting skinnier and skinnier - I was losing every muscle that I had.

“After nine weeks, the first thing I needed to do was start walking again, which wasn't very easy as I hadn't used my right foot for nine weeks. It felt like a big steak."

In reality, learning to walk again came fairly easily to Amjad, building it up gradually. However, returning to running took slightly longer - another six to seven months further down the line. His first sprint came in India on December 1.

Mark Spivey, a strength and conditioning coach who has been working with Amjad on his rehabilitation, said: "We're basically having to teach Amjad to run again.

"We're working on getting his running technique right again, so we're putting him through various exercises to achieve that."

Amjad added: "I obviously haven't run for such a long time that it needs work. I've been jogging and the like, but I haven't run at pace for a while, so that's another technique I have to get right. The whole rehab has been a very gradual process.

“At the beginning I got on a bike for ten minutes or so, and then we increased that. Within a month I was doing 40 minutes. After that I started doing a little work on the quads - some lunges and squats. Alongside that I did lots of upper body work to maintain my strength there.

“I gradually increased the load and did more exercise, but we always stuck to the plan that we had set out initially and didn't push me too far. It's a gradual process to ensure I come back at my optimum."

Amjad's main objective is clearly to get back to bowling again - he hopes to be bowling at 70-80 per cent in February.

He is currently bowling off two paces and hopes to increase that gradually so that he's fully fit for the beginning of the 2008 season.

"I'm not going to look towards the England Lions tour to India in February, although it's obviously not my decision," he said.

"I have complete faith in Craig Ranson and Nimmo Reid (ECB and Kent physios) and whatever they say I'll do. If they deem I'm fit enough for that tour, then I'll take their word for it. It's not my decision to make about my fitness.

“Even though I feel great, the timeline is set and we've got to see how it goes. The idea is to look ahead and get fit for the next domestic season.

"I should really be ready by February and ready to go for Kent in April. That's the aim anyway."