Steven Naismith has delivered a positive update on Craig Halkett's recovery after the Heart of Midlothian star underwent minor surgery last month.

The centre-back has had an injury-impacted season which has limited him to 11 appearances. He recovered from a cruciate ligament injury picked up in December 2022 but suffered a knee issue during the win over Airdrieonians in the Scottish Cup.

There was a wait to see a specialist but Halkett is now on the mend and is set to recover quicker than first estimated. But Naismith won't be putting any pressure on the centre-back to return quickly.

READ MORE: How close are Hearts to a complete midfield - and Cammy Devlin underappreciation

"Everything's done," the Hearts head coach said. "He's now on the road to recovery. There was an issue with timings and getting to see the specialist, there was a small bit of dead time which couldn't be helped.

"News-wise, the recovery is the best we could hope for so his recovery and build back up will be quicker than we thought before, which is brilliant news for us.

"There's no real pressure on Halks and I'm conscious not to put pressure on him. If he gets minutes before the end of the season, that's positive. But the main thing is he is fully ready for a full pre-season."

Meanwhile, Hearts are set to welcome back Calem Nieuwenhof, Beni Baningime and Lawrence Shankland for the Premiership clash with Livingston on Saturday.