Pioneering medical procedure to save Ferdinand's World Cup dream

London, Mar 21 : England captain Rio Ferdinand has been given six spinal injections as part of a pioneering medical procedure to save his World Cup dream.

The Manchester United ace needed the glucose jabs to cure his crippling back injury, which threatened to knock out his place in Fabio Capello's squad for South Africa.

Ferdinand revealed how the radical treatment, plus intense physiotherapy and an orthopaedic cushion have cured the problem that has plagued him for a staggering 18 months, News of the World reports.

Ferdinand admits he could hardly walk after matches, missed as much as 70 per cent of training, often needed painkillers to sleep at night and visited 10 different specialists.

He also confesses he hid the severity of his injury from the club.

Ferdinand, 31, declared: "I am no longer in pain. It looks like the problem has been cured and I'm confident my back won't go again. I'm training at full pelt now. Something I wasn't able to do before and, physically, I am much better now than at any time during the past 18 months."

Ferdinand had the prolotherapy injections at the Blackberry Clinic in Milton Keynes following consultation with United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.