The veteran was named amongst the subs for Sunday's clash with Peterborough, as Paul Groves tries to rest one of his senior stars.
Marcel Cas took his place at right-back, with Alan Pouton wearing the captains armband.
Speaking after the game, Paul Groves admitted he was keen to try and avoid losing his captain to an operation.
"He came in yesterday to train and it doesn't feel too bad - that's not a bad sign," he told Mariners Net. "The more he trains, the more he plays, the more it starts to develop.
Macca in hernia worry
"We will try and nurse him through it until the end of the season - we don't want to lose somebody like John.