Ronan Curtis has declared himself back to full fitness after undergoing surgery on a meniscus tear during the summer, the Plymouth Argyle winger confirmed in an interview with BBC South West.

The 30-year-old Republic of Ireland international had been managing the knee problem throughout last season, having suffered the injury in pre-season. Curtis told the broadcaster he was taking tablets to get through matches and dealing with the occasional flare-up, but chose to push on rather than go under the knife during the campaign.

"The knee's good," Curtis said. "I got the surgery in the summer, it was something that I did last pre-season, had a slight meniscus tear but I could play through the pain just managing it through last season. But I managed to get it done this season, get the surgery and back to my fully fit best now."

He added: "I have all faith in myself to come back stronger, fitter and much better. It was something that I needed to get done in the summer because the odd time it would swell up and taking too many tablets to get me through games and stuff like that, but I'm all fit and healthy now."

The winger joined the Pilgrims permanently from Port Vale in January, having signed a two-and-a-half year deal at Home Park. He contributed two goals across 23 appearances in all competitions in the second half of last season.

That he has been able to feature from the off this term is an encouraging sign for Plymouth's third-tier ambitions. Curtis has started all five of Argyle's League One fixtures so far, a run that has yielded two wins and two defeats according to the report.

His return to full fitness is a timely boost for head coach Wayne Cleverley, who has been navigating a mixed start to the season. A fully fit Curtis, no longer reliant on pain management to get through 90 minutes, could prove a genuine asset as the fixture list intensifies heading into autumn.

For a player of his experience at this level, the summer decision to address the problem rather than carry it into another campaign looks like sound long-term thinking. Meniscus procedures can vary considerably in recovery time, and the fact that Curtis has gone straight into the starting XI across the opening five matches suggests the rehabilitation process went smoothly.

Plymouth supporters will be hopeful that an injury-free Curtis can bring the consistency that was inevitably harder to sustain when he was managing discomfort week to week. The club's wider form and league position will be watched closely as the season develops, and a winger operating at full capacity can only improve Argyle's options out wide.

Frequently asked

Is Ronan Curtis fit for Plymouth Argyle this season?
Yes. Curtis underwent meniscus surgery during the summer and has declared himself fully fit, having started all five of Plymouth's League One matches so far this season.
Where did Ronan Curtis join Plymouth Argyle from?
Curtis joined Plymouth Argyle permanently from Port Vale in January, signing a two-and-a-half year deal at Home Park.
What injury did Ronan Curtis have?
Curtis suffered a meniscus tear in his knee during pre-season last year. He managed the injury throughout last season before having surgery in the summer to resolve it fully.