Robin Van Persie: Horse Placenta Treatment

Horse placenta treatment: Is your ankle not improving or healing fast enough? Why not try a massaging some fluid from a horse placenta into your muscles? That’s what Arsenal forward Robin Van Persie is going to do. Yes, that’s right, Van Persie is going to have a massage done on his ankle using fluid from a placenta. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of something like this. Is this an April fools joke…or his van Persie really trying this horse placenta treatment on his ankle:

Arsenal’s Robin van Persie is flying to Serbia for the radical medical treatment by a female doctor called Marijana Kovacevic, who is said to have amazing healing powers.

The Holland forward has been ruled out for at least six weeks after being injured during Saturday’s friendly against Italy. He suffered partially-torn ankle ligaments in a heavy challenge from defender Giorgio Chiellini. Arsenal confirmed Van Persie will return to London later this week to continue his rehabilitation and are happy with the care of the Dutch Football Association.

But the 26-year-old is ready to go a step further to help the healing process by flying to Serbia – with the approval of his north London club. It is thought a horse’s placenta will be used in the treatment, with Van Persie aiming to recover within a month.

“I will fly to the Balkans to meet with a female doctor who helped (PSV Eindhoven midfielder) Danko Lazovic,” he told Dutch television programme Studio Voetbal. “She is vague about her methods but I know she massages you using fluid from a placenta. I’m going to try. It cannot hurt and, if it helps, it helps.

“I have been in contact with Arsenal physiotherapists and they have let me do it.” But doctors in England are pessimistic that the treatment will do any good.

Dr Carol Cooper told Sky News Online: “It’s an unproven remedy. It’s wacky but it’s not going to do any harm. “Some footballers will try almost anything to get better more quickly.”

Here’s the report from Sky on van Persie using the horse placenta treatment on his injured ankle.