Jarrad Branthwaite opens up on complex Germany injury rehab

Jarrad Branthwaite

Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite has opened up about the specialist rehabilitation programme in Germany that he hopes will finally cure his persistent injury problems.

The centre-back endured a frustrating 2025/26 campaign where hamstring issues restricted him to just 10 appearances for the Merseyside club.

A trip to Munich

David Moyes and the medical staff at Finch Farm sent the defender to the MYOS Sport & Health clinic in Munich for a fresh approach to his fitness recovery.

The clinic works through set stages, pairing hands-on treatment with training-based therapy and adding neuroathletics on top of a programme built around the individual player.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Branthwaite explained the reasoning behind the trip following a difficult period with recurring fitness setbacks.

I sat down with the club after the three or four times where I was picking up the injuries. It was to look at the wider picture, look at the holistic approach of the body essentially, I went over there for three or four weeks working with a team alongside the club, just to assess different things and hopefully that has helped.

Addressing the root causes

The 24-year-old revealed that the specialist team looked into various elements of his physical output that went beyond standard football recovery methods.

He told the Liverpool Echo that the process examined several different factors to identify why the muscle problems kept returning.

There were a lot of different things looked at like movement patterns and the brain. It was quite complex, but fingers crossed it has worked.

Overcoming mental hurdles

The defender faced a particularly stern mental challenge when he was stretchered off in tears during the Merseyside Derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium on April 19.

That setback arrived less than three months after he had finally made his first appearance of the campaign against Leeds United following earlier fitness troubles.

Reflecting on the psychological impact of repeated spells on the sidelines, Branthwaite told the Liverpool Echo about the difficulty of dealing with constant physical doubts.

It is probably the worst thing as a footballer not to be on the pitch and I think when it keeps happening it is mentally tough because you are sort of doubting your body and going on the pitch wary of what is going to happen.

Looking ahead

Having earned his first senior England call-up from Thomas Tuchel, the defender is now fully focused on remaining available for selection.

He told the Liverpool Echo that careful management during pre-season has put him in a strong position to build momentum.

I think now I am in a position where I got managed throughout the pre-season, managed my load well and hopefully I can stay on the pitch this season.