MIDDLESBROUGH have investigated the high injury count that has affected them so badly this season – but Michael Carrick does not feel there is a need for radical changes to the club’s medical or training procedures.

Boro have been hit by a series of serious injuries throughout the season, with Carrick regularly having to pick a team with up to a dozen senior players unavailable.

The Teessiders currently have Dael Fry, Tommy Smith, Darragh Lenihan, Riley McGree and Marcus Forss sidelined with injury issues that have ended their season, with Hayden Hackney and Josh Coburn also unlikely to kick a ball again this term.

The club have drilled down into the details of the various injury setbacks, and have looked at various aspects of the way in which their players are assessed, treated and returned to action once they are deemed to be fit.

There will be minor tweaks ahead of the start of next season, but Carrick remains convinced there is no need for major alterations, putting most of this season’s problems down to bad luck rather than anything self-inflicted.

“I think there’s been such a wide range of injuries that we’ve suffered this season,” explained the Boro boss, ahead of tomorrow’s penultimate game of the season at Cardiff City. “We haven’t changed training one bit from what we had last season, in terms of style, strategy or the things we do and when we do it. We didn’t have hardly any injuries last season doing it that way.

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“I think injuries in general in the game have gone up anyway, and we’ve had such a wide variety of injuries. Whether it’s been impact injuries, twists, muscle injuries - some of which have actually been on contact after a push or whatever, so not necessarily just a fatigue element. There are so many different ways in which we’ve had them.”

Boro’s medical and sports sciences teams will continue to monitor the situation, with Carrick insistent he and his staff are always open to new ideas or improvements.

“It’s certainly something that we have looked at over the course of the season, and it’s ongoing,” he continued. “We always look at how we can get better and how we can be more efficient in all aspects - prehab, rehab or whatever it might be.

“So, I’m not brushing it under the carpet by any means, but there is only so much you can do. We are confident moving forward we’ll have the right ingredients to keep more on the pitch. But sometimes the game moves and has certain trends in general and it's not always easy or ideal. We’ve just got to try and be realistic.”