Crusaders star Israel Dagg has admitted he used stem cell therapy in his rehabilitation in order to regenerate cartilage in his injured knee.
Dagg made his return to first-class rugby on Saturday in the Crusaders' 33-11 win over the Sunwolves - his first professional outing since representing the All Blacks last September in their Test against Argentina.
As part of his eight-month recovery, Dagg admitted he used stem cells to help him overcome a condition he called "knock knee" - a common term used for when the knee joint sits at an awkward angle.
"I have got no cartilage in my knee, so every time I jump it is just bone on bone; it just bruises, releases fluid," Dagg said.
"It would be alright if I just had to trundle around, but I have got to be explosive. But I am through it now, I am on the other side. I have just got to keep positive and deal with the new normal. I am not my old self, but I can still play footy. That is the main thing."
Dagg has had to change his running style to help accomodate the treatment which he described as being like learning to walk again.
"Hopefully it works, and apparently it regenerates cartilage and that is what I need. I need cartilage in between my bones, because pretty much it is just bone on bone.
"I think it is helping, it is doing its thing. At the end of the day I just have to get my body strong."
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