Andrew Driver hopes big freeze will bring him in from the cold

Driver has not made a firstteam appearance for Hearts since April and has played only five times in total for Jim Jefferies since the manager returned in January. A knee injury was the initial problem but then a thigh tear sustained in September set Driver back in his quest for full fitness, but a tentative target of next month has been set for his return.

In a bid to accelerate the healing process Driver was advised by his father David to try cryotherapy on his injured thigh. This is a process where the patient endures quick bursts of extremely low temperatures in a bid to boost blood circulation, which in turn helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to those parts of the body which require to be repaired.

Driver donned a hat, gloves and goggles to sample the treatment, which has also been used by the Scottish rugby team as well as Frank Bruno. He joked that it at least offered a refreshing change to one-on-one sessions with Hearts physio Rob Marshall, somebody the player has been spending far too much time with of late. "I don't know how the physio and me are still on talking terms - all I do is moan at him," he said. Straight-line running has been a particularly onerous chore.

Driver only managed to play 14 times last season. He featured more in headlines relating to the wrangle with Fifa about his eligibility for Scotland than those dealing with his activities on the pitch.

As he helped Hearts announce a new deal with bottled water company MacB yesterday, Driver was happy to reflect on the restorative qualities of exposing oneself to temperatures which an Eskimo would think twice about venturing out in. The trick is to make short, sharp visits to the chamber, for good reason. Any longer than eight minutes in the -120C chamber and you'd be dead.

"You go into one room and it's -60C, and you go in there for about 30 seconds, and then you go into another room which is -120C for three minutes," Driver explained. "It isn't that bad. You get to wear two pairs of socks.

"It's absolutely Baltic,," he added, truthfully. "When you get out it feels unbelievable. Your blood is firing around and you feel like you want to run a marathon. I hope it has brought on my rehab a bit. It was just good after being in the physio's room for so long to get a change of scenery."

Driver had to go to Tring in Hertfordshire to receive the treatment, which he first tried when with the England Under 21 squad. In Edinburgh derby week Driver is simply glad that the end of his fitness trials is in sight."I have so many good memories of the derby and winning games against them (Hibs]," he said. "The worst part of the rehab is watching the games, when you know you should be on the pitch. That's when it really hits you."

He is confident of a Hearts success at Easter Road on Sunday, even if the thought of spectating at the first derby of the season pains him. He scored in the penultimate derby of last season, which ended in a 2-1 victory for Hearts.

"For some reason when we've gone into a derby following a bad result, such as against Kilmarnock on Sunday, we've always done well. It suits us to have our backs against the wall. I remember when we went to Easter Road after they had just won the League Cup, and no-one gave us a chance."

Driver will aim to be back well in time for the next derby, which is scheduled for the significant date of New Year's day. However, there was an element of unease in his voice as he contemplated winning back his place, with Rudi Skacel having made a successful return to the Hearts midfield. "The longer I feel like I am staying (away from the first-team], the harder it is to prove myself.," he said. "Hopefully I can then start making some reserve team appearances then push for a first-team place. Things like international football I am not even thinking about."