Harry Kane has revealed he hired a personal physiotherapist to help him overcome injury issues and now feels better than ever as a result.
The England captain is in line to start Friday’s Nations League clash with Italy at the San Siro, having not missed more than two games through injury since taking on his own man.
Kane was ruled out with a hamstring injury in January 2020 and, coupled with the break in the calendar caused by the coronavirus pandemic, did not return to action for almost six months.
Since then he has only been sidelined by minor niggles and, with under two months to go until the opening game of England’s World Cup campaign, he believes he is in the best physical shape of his career.
“I’d probably say so,” the Tottenham striker replied when asked if was fitter than ever.
“Different coaches have different philosophies and we worked really hard in pre-season, it was a tough pre-season. I’ve started well. I feel great — put it that way.
“I was at a period in my career where I was struggling to play consistently throughout a season.
“Especially when you come up to major tournaments, it’s great to know your body is in a good place.
“Of course, you can get injured at any moment, whether it’s a tackle or a bad movement but I think when you’re free in your mind and you’ve been playing consistently for a while, it definitely helps with your mindset going into the seasons and major tournaments.”
Kane went on to explain his work with a private physiotherapist who had been recommended to him by a fellow athlete, only going as far as to reveal the specialist was Spanish when asked to name him.
“I did my hamstring in January against Southampton away on New Year’s Day and since then I’ve actually found this new physio and we’ve been working together, for nearly three years now,” he added.
“He’s been really great for me, we’ve worked for hours and hours over the three years, built up a really good relationship and I feel like he’s really helped me.
“I’ve seen changes in my body in terms of what my ankles were like before and now after. I’m in a totally different place. So it’s really pleasing, I’ve kept that under the radar.
“(It was sorted) Through a friend, another athlete that I knew. Personal, away from the club but the club know about him.
“I’ll use him maybe one week of the month. He doesn’t live in the UK so he comes over one week a month and stays with me.
“Whenever you’re trying to put a good season together, you’re on good form and you consistently get the same kind of injuries – I kept getting ankle injuries and that led to a bigger hamstring injury.
“So I think as I’ve got older and more mature, you learn more about your body and how your body adapts to stuff, when you can push and when you should not push too hard.
“So you learn as you go on, and I’ve definitely learnt really well over the last few years about my body and myself. That’s helped me to consistently play at the level I have.”
