MUSCLE&FITNESS: You recently underwent surgery. Why was it necessary?

JAMES HASKELL: I’ve always done a little bit too much and now I’m paying the price for playing three seasons in a row. I’ve got tendinitis of my knee and a problem with bursitis. Basically, it’s due  to playing constantly and having an  imbalance in terms of my hamstrings, quads and posture. I muddled through  for a while but eventually I had to do something about it. I’ve had the problem in my left knee for 10 years and it finally got out of hand just before this year’s  Six Nations. M&F: How are you getting your knee back to full strength? JH: I’m doing lots of rehab. To fix  tendons you’ve got to load them so  I’m doing eccentric single-leg squats, things like that. I’ve also got some muscle wastage through inactivity so I’ll be using a muscle-tensing machine to help with that. On top of what I’m doing with Wasps I’m working with strength coach Phil Learney, focusing on building up my hamstrings and basically rebuilding  my whole lower body. After that I’ll be  going straight into pre-season training. [From next month Phil Learney will be writing a regular nutrition column in Muscle&Fitness] You can also read It’s  a Hardcore Life with Phil Learney at:  www.muscle-fitness.co.uk/phillearney.