BY DARREN JOHNSTONE & ALISTAIR FELL – @CCP_sport
Dunfermline midfielder Josh Falkingham insists he is ‘feeling good’ as he prepares to make a full recovery after suffering a worrying fracture in his lower back.
Falkingham sustained the injury just after half-time in the Pars’ league clash with Airdrie back in September.
The 25-year-old was substituted in pain but admits he did not fully appreciate the severity of the injury until later.
“It was a knee into the bottom of the back and this is what it ended up being,” he explained ahead of this afternoon’s trip to face Airdrie.
“We never knew it was as bad as it was to begin with and I trained on the Thursday because I was pushing to get back fit for the Petrofac Training Cup game against St. Mirren.
“Towards the end of the training sessions it ‘blew up’ and at that stage I knew it wasn’t just a bang, it was something more serious.
“We managed to get the scan and then the phone call came through.
“With it being fractured, the physio was good and spoke me through it because whenever someone mentions your back you’re worried.
“He explained to me exactly what it was. It wasn’t actually the vertebrae, it’s a little bone just off it.
“I had a crack in one of them that was causing me problems. It stemmed from a nothing thing in the Airdrie game.”
Recovery
With the recovery phase almost complete, Falkingham is looking forward to conquering his misfortune by getting back out onto the pitch with the Fifers’ first-team.
The former Leeds United trainee is finding his feet once more and has played twice for the East End Park under-20s with a view to re-establishing himself in the starting XI as soon as possible.
“It was (about) complete rest and letting the bone heal,” he continued. “I was in training doing some work on the bike and I managed to get home to see my family for a couple of days as well.
“I am feeling good now – that’s two games I’ve got under my belt.
“It’s been six weeks, it didn’t feel that long but it was. It’s been a bit of a frustrating start to the season for me.
“But it’s about kick-starting my season now and hopefully I can forget about what has happened.”
