Browns medics to aid Dunne comeback

Villa defender Richard Dunne today confirmed he has turned to American Football to help his rehabilitation from an operation on a fractured collarbone.

The Ireland centre-back will spend a week with the medical department of Villa owner Randy Lerner's NFL franchise the Cleveland Browns.

It was felt by Villa doctor Ian McGuinness, who visited the Ohio team on fact-finding mission with boss Alex McLeish recently, that Dunne would benefit from some of the techniques utilised by the Browns medics to treat injuries of this nature which are more commonplace in NFL.

"I'm hoping that when I come back I'll be sorted and I can push on with things and start training again," said Dunne.

"It'll take a few weeks after that, but hopefully I can be back before the end of April.

"That's the aim at the moment but I'll just have to listen to the doctor here and see what's actually possible.

"Because of the nature of American football, the Browns have a lot of experience in dealing with the kind of injury I suffered, so any help that I can get will be much appreciated."

Dunne is confident he will be fit in time for Ireland's Euro 2012 campaign in the summer.