The striker was out for over a year with a bad injury to the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee.
Upon completion of his rehabilitation, the medical department measured Dicko's strength and movement and compared the results to his pre-injury levels.
Hayward said: “We go through a load of tests at the end of the rehab process and can compare those with pre-injury levels. Every single test was better than he was before.
“There are variables with the tests, time of year and maybe a variance in the weather, etc, but with regards to the sprint test he was bang on with where he was before.
“Sometimes you find they’re less keen to push off the affected side, so lateral movements become a problem, but with him, not at all.
“He’s equally pushing side to side, his laterals movements are fine and physically he’s back to where was before if not better in some respects.
“Certainly in terms of power, because he’s done six months of power work in the gym. He’s come out a bit stronger and he’s faster than he was pre-injury.
“He did sprints tests and the T-test, which is like an agility test in the shape of a T."
Though Dicko has made a full recovery from his injury, the medicial department will continue to monitor his knee as he progresses through the season.
But Hayward believes time on the pitch is what the striker now needs to get back to his very best.
“With Nouha we always said it would be a one-year injury. His rehab went really well," he said.
“It’s just about regular football for him now and keep working hard in training.
“And he just needs a goal! His confidence levels would go back up again.
“But in terms of his fitness we don’t worry about him.
“For someone who’s had such a serious knee injury as he has, we’ll monitor his knee and see how it reacts to increases in training and matches.
“Now and again there might be days where it’s a little bit swollen. If that’s the case we’ll pull him out of training for a day here and there.
“That’s part and parcel of having a long-term knee injury.
“But he’s fine – physically we’re really happy with him.”
