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Jenko - How I got through my rehab

Arsรจne Wenger once said that rehab โ€œfeels like itโ€™s endless when youโ€™re a playerโ€, and it certainly felt like that for Carl Jenkinson.

The England right back was sidelined for nine months with a cruciate ligament injury before making his return in Octoberโ€™s League Cup win over Reading, and he has revealed what motivated him to come back better and stronger than before.

โ€œBeing patient is not a typical trait of a footballer because we all just want to be out there playing football,โ€ Jenkinson told Arsenal Player. โ€œWeโ€™ll do anything we can to get out there quicker. You do have to be realistic and sometimes you need people around you to just wind your neck in a bit to be a bit more realistic.

โ€œAt times it did feel like it was endless and it was a long old slog getting back to fitness, but itโ€™s all an experience and all part of a footballerโ€™s career. You have to get on with these things because thereโ€™s no point moping around or sulking.

โ€œIt wonโ€™t help you or the people around you, you want to be as positive as you can, not only for yourself but also for the lads around you that you see every day. It was a difficult time but Iโ€™ve taken a lot from it and Iโ€™d like to think that itโ€™ll stand me in good stead for the future.

โ€œDid it frustrate me? Massively because youโ€™re watching and thinking, โ€˜That should be me out thereโ€™ but instead youโ€™re sat there because you canโ€™t run or do what you love doing. Itโ€™s very frustrating being injured but thereโ€™s people out there who have had it a lot worse than me, who have had a lot worse injuries than me so Iโ€™m lucky.

โ€œIโ€™m fortunate to have come back. I feel fine and my kneeโ€™s not giving me any problems. Iโ€™m fit and well. Itโ€™s probably not the worst injury Iโ€™ll ever have. When I have another one then Iโ€™ll just have to deal with it, itโ€™s just part of being a footballer. You just have to get on with things. Thatโ€™s what Iโ€™ve tried to do and thatโ€™s what Iโ€™ll always try to do.โ€