PAUL Smith could not be in better hands as he bids to bounce back from his latest injury setback.

The Clarets winger feared the worst when he went for a scan this week on the knee injury picked up against Oldham Athletic.

He first suspected it may be a recurrence of the cartilage injury which required surgery last season.

But the scan confirmed a problem with his knee cap and, after seeking the advice of new physio Paul Lake, he could be back in first team action within three weeks.

There are few more qualified to talk about knee injuries than Lake, for it was a cruciate knee ligament injury which prematurely ended the ex-Manchester City star's own promising playing career.

Now Smith is hoping Lake's experiences can help him make a swift return.

"Paul Lake has given me some great advice and taken me to see the same specialist who helped him with his knee," said Smith.

"He has given me some exercises to help build my leg back up again and hopefully they will pay off.

"At first the specialist thought it was a recurrence of the cartilage problem I had before.

"But the scan showed the latest problem concerns the patella.

"Basically, I've now got to strengthen my knee up to stop it from locking." Smith has had an injury-plagued 12 months he would like to forget.

A niggling cartilage injury kept him out for a spell last season before eventually requiring surgery.

He won that fitness battle and established himself as a regular in the new Stan Ternent regime, becoming an ever-present at the start of this campaign before a groin strain kept him out for three matches.

Again he fought back only to get crocked seven minutes into the second half of the 1-0 home win over Oldham last week.

"It is very frustrating. I got back after the groin injury and now I am out again," said Smith.

"In a situation like this it is very hard to keep your form when you are in and out of the side.

"But you've just got to try and keep going and keep on smiling.

"I cannot put a time on how quickly I will be back but hopefully it will be within the next two to three weeks."

A fit-again Smith would be a major boost to Ternent who currently has Peter Swan and Mark Robertson on the treatment table.

With striker Andy Cooke also set to face a three match ban in the coming weeks, the Burnley boss will need all the attacking options possible to sustain his side's early season momentum.

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