Soccer-Rodwell hopes Munich medicine will put end to injury woes

Dec 16 (Reuters) - Sunderland midfielder Jack Rodwell has opted to undergo treatment from unconventional former Bayern Munich club doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt in a bid to get his once-promising career back on track. Rodwell broke into the Everton starting line-up as a highly-rated teenager but his progress stalled following a move to Manchester City, where his struggle for first-team opportunities prompted a transfer to Sunderland. Now 24, Rodwell is willing to do whatever it takes to shake off the minor injuries that have forced the England international to endure several extended spells on the sidelines. "There's nothing major, it's just niggling injuries. A couple of the lads -- Lee Cattermole and Billy Jones -- have also been to see Muller-Wohlfahrt this season and had good results," Rodwell told British media. "There's a method to his madness. I want to stay injury-free and he can help me. Prevention is better than cure. The doctors here at Sunderland put the idea of going to Munich to me so, of course, I said I'd go. "I went to Munich to see him two weeks ago. I was there from Monday to Friday and had about 50 injections. There's a lot of anti-inflammatories and lubricants for the joints. "It's all technical stuff, the physios know more than me. I just go along with it. I'll do anything to stay fit." Sunderland have conceded 30 Premier League goals in 16 games this season and Rodwell said he would gladly play in the centre of defence to help shore up the club's leaky backline. "To be honest, from England under-16s, through the 17s and 18s, really all the way through my youth career, I played at centre-half. I'll play at the back again though, no problem," Rodwell said. "If the manager asked me to play there, I think it would be natural for me." Sunderland, who are second from bottom in the standings, visit 16th-placed Chelsea on Saturday. (Writing by Shravanth Vijayakumar in Bengaluru; Editing by John O'Brien)