Injury Recovery Nutrition -
One of the main goals during sports injury recovery is reducing inflammation. Fortunately, Vitamin-C can help you accomplish that.
Vitamin-C has anti-inflammatory properties, which can decrease or prevent inflammation. The obvious place to start is with citrus fruits — such as oranges and grapefruits. Bell peppers, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, and kiwi also have plenty of vitamin C. Sports injuries like a sprained ankle can cause a lot of inflammation in the affected area.
Foods with omega-3 fatty acids can help control this inflammation. Fish already rich in protein contains a considerable amount of omega-3 fatty acids.
However, ingesting too many omega-3 fatty acids could potentially have the opposite effect. Therefore, rather than taking vitamin or powder supplements, be sure to eat foods that contain these nutrients.
Omega-6 fats, which are often present in oils, also lower inflammation. Canola oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, and other similar products are great for cooking, and can provide this benefit.
Coconut oil is another common way for those dealing with arthritis to decrease inflammation. Consult with a dietician or qualified orthopedist for more information about omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. Like protein, zinc is also instrumental in helping you heal wounded tissue.
And according to nutritional experts and physical therapists , failing to ingest enough zinc can prolong the healing process. Common examples of zinc-rich foods include meat, fish, shellfish, and whole grains. Nuts are also a great choice.
However, be sure to stay away from zinc supplements. Calcium plays a very important role in helping to heal broken bones. Some examples of calcium-heavy foods include broccoli, almonds, okra, and of course: dairy products. While there are few foods that contain naturally-occurring vitamin-D, it can actually benefit your recovery.
Vitamin-D is one of the best methods for natural pain management. Also, these nutrients can help to prevent sports injuries in children. In order to recover from injuries like tears and strains , orthopedists generally recommend keeping the injured body part immobile.
Gaining weight is a common fear among sidelined athletes, but do your best to put that aside. In some sports, that could result in a competitive disadvantage upon your return.
The natural conclusion for most athletes, then, is to decrease food intake to prevent increased body fat and total mass. But a fixation on weight or leanness can muddy the ultimate goal of healing quickly and completely. Just as elite runners eat differently during mile weeks than during taper weeks, your nutritional needs will change throughout a season of injury.
There are three widely accepted phases of healing : inflammation, in which your immune system is activated and damage-control cells rush to the injured site; proliferation, which is when your body builds new tissue, restores blood vessels, and covers the surface of any exposed wounds; and remodeling, the period in which the traumatized area matures and regains strength, often leaving a scar in its wake.
Purported anti-inflammatory foods like turmeric get a lot of buzz, but the bottom line is that a healthy, well-rounded diet is the best culinary defense against inflammation , rather than one specific ingredient. However, there are certain ingredients that promote inflammation.
During proliferation and remodeling, which start around day four and last as long as your injury does, your body is busy replacing damaged tissues with new, healthy ones. Kruppa explains that your goal during this time should still be balanced nutrition, and she emphasizes how crucial it is that you get adequate calories in the form of ample protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
Of the three macronutrients—carbs, fat, and protein—research best supports the role of protein during injury recovery. Whenever a body experiences a health disturbance, such as sickness or inflammation, extra protein is required to maximize muscle protein synthesis.
Consume too little of it and your healing will lag, inflammation will increase, and muscle loss may follow. Beckmann recommends aiming for one gram of protein per pound of body weight per day while recovering from an injury, so grams for a pound person.
Spreading that intake throughout the day is helpful, too—try and sneak a little protein into each meal and snack, and get a final hit at bedtime.
Seek out a variety of protein sources, such as ethically sourced meats, dairy products, eggs, beans, tofu, and tempeh. All of these high-protein options are also rich in leucine , an essential amino acid involved in the growth and repair of muscle, skin, and bone.
Her recommendation is to eat a minimum of 1. These offer more nutrients, ample fiber, and longer-lasting energy. A supplement, by definition, is supposed to be an add-on, not the main ingredient. She recommends leaning on real foods containing the following micronutrients: vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D , calcium, magnesium , zinc, and copper.
These are largely found in colorful fruits and vegetables as well as in dairy products, nuts, and seeds. Mushrooms, for example, are great sources of copper, which assists with red-blood-cell formation, immune function, and bone health. Legumes contain high levels of magnesium, which plays a role in protein synthesis, circulation, and the absorption and metabolism of calcium and vitamin D.
With a bone fracture, for instance, Kruppa says that your calcium needs increase to 1, milligrams per day, which may necessitate supplementation.
If you think you might be deficient— common symptoms include dizziness, fatigue, and weakness —consult with a doctor and get a blood test before supplementing iron. Leucine, a branched-chain amino acid, stimulates muscle protein synthesis faster than other amino acids.
Injuries and sports participation Nutfition a common occurrence and proper Herbal extract powders can assist ERcovery a speedier return to play. Recovsry nutrition Nutritionn recovery time due to impairing Nutritiom healing process. Too little or too many of the wrong types of calories can put the brakes on proper healing. General recommendations for calorie needs for an injured athlete are the following:. For an individualized calorie recommendation, see a registered dietitian specializing in sports nutrition. These foods have the most nutrition per calorie, such as fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, low-fat dairy, whole grains and healthy fats.Injury Recovery Nutrition -
Phase 1 may last for a few days or many months, depending on how serious your injury is. Protein is needed to heal wounds, repair broken bones, build healthy blood cells, keep your immune system strong, and support muscle protein growth and strength. Focus on high-quality protein foods those that contain all of the essential amino acids.
Rehabilitation progresses during the second phase of recovery. This may be a slow process, but following the nutrition goals for this phase can help you recover and return to sports participation. While all nutrients are important in healing, vitamin C and zinc are superstar nutrients for their roles in healing.
Vitamin C is needed to make a protein called collagen and for repairing tendons and ligaments and healing surgical wounds. Zinc is a mineral found mostly in animal foods such as meat, fish, poultry, and dairy foods. A lot of rehab protocols involve increases in muscle size and strength in certain areas.
Imagine trying to do that with a low protein intake and on low calories. Or alternatively, if consuming excess calories, it can make returning to sport at the same level lot harder.
Aidan is a Brisbane based dietitian who prides himself on staying up-to-date with evidence-based approaches to dietetic intervention. He has long been interested in all things nutrition, particularly the effects of different dietary approaches on body composition and sports performance.
Due to this passion, he has built up an extensive knowledge base and experience in multiple areas of nutrition and is able to help clients with a variety of conditions. By having such a thorough understanding of optimal nutrition for different situations he is able to develop detailed meal plans and guidance for clients that can contribute to improving the clients overall quality of life and performance.
He offers services both in-person and online. Calories This section will likely be the largest section in this post, so it will be split into sub-headings. Avoid the Temptation to Cut Calories Dramatically The first temptation a lot of athletes have when they get injured is to cut calories significantly.
Fuel the Rehab Process Another aspect to consider is that you will likely be undertaking a rehab protocol that involves you aiming to get stronger and build muscle in certain areas.
Challenges With Managing Calorie Intake There are a few challenges with managing your calorie intake while injured. This is another reason why people have a temptation to dramatically cut calories.
Protein Protein helps with many aspects of injury recovery It can help reduce the amount of muscle lost in the early stages. It can help speed up the increase in muscle and strength which can be beneficial in a rehab process.
It can help with managing appetite if that is an issue, and you are struggling with accidentally overconsuming calories.
Immobilisation vs Non-Immobilisation When an athlete who trains hard takes a break from training, it typically takes ~3 weeks before muscle loss is measurable. One of these steps is high protein intake.
This is quite a high intake. From another perspective though, I view this as a huge opportunity. Practical Challenges with Protein Intake While Injured There are two main challenges that can occur with trying to achieve that target.
What if your appetite has declined due to being less active? If you have a smaller calorie budget due to being less active, it is hard to get towards the upper end of the target without overshooting your calorie needs. Creatine Creatine helps with building muscle and strength.
Best case scenario, it helps. Worst case scenario it does not really do much. Dosage: g fish oil per day, if choosing to take it.
Collagen or Gelatin Supplementation Collagen and gelatin supplementation have emerging research indicating they can help with recovery from musculoskeletal injuries. Some common criticisms of collagen supplements are: The collagen peptides break down into amino acids.
How is this different to consuming more protein in general? A large percentage of the body is made up of collagen. How do we know it goes to where we want it to go? The evidence is mixed. A Look at the Evidence In terms of the evidence, while the evidence is mixed, all the research fitting the following criteria has shown positive outcomes: 15g or more of collagen protein Timed before rehab sessions Alongside vitamin C There also is not a lot of quality research on the topic.
MRI of Patellar Tendinopathy Case Study Over an month Period. You can see the area behind the patella at the top is damaged in the first image, but not the last. Calcium and Vitamin D Calcium and vitamin D supplementation can be helpful if there is anything bone related.
At a minimum, it is important to avoid low calcium and vitamin D. Beyond just fractures though, vitamin D might help further. Dosage and How to Take: Obviously, you could aim for a food-first approach.
Overall Healthy Diet Having an overall healthy diet makes sense during injury recovery. Practical Summary Nutrition can play a role in injury recovery.
Poor nutrition could dramatically slow down recovery though, particularly for longer rehabs. As a quick summary, some key areas to investigate addressing are: Appropriate calorie intake. This might involve periodising it over the course of the recovery process.
Aiming for 1. Consume a good quality overall diet to cover all the little details that matter and can help with recovery a bit. Related posts:. The Vertical Diet: Everything You Need to Know.
Do You Need To Replace Sodium Losses During Exercise? Caffeine and Athletic Performance: Everything You Need to Know. Categories Sports. She is also the Senior Associate Editor for The International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy.
Articles Exercises Research Education My Account Newsletter Sign Up. You did not add any gift products to the cart. Check your available gifts! Expert Nutrition Guidelines for Injury Recovery By: Rebecca Moore Add to Favorites. Nutrition Guidance for Wound Care While you might not view wound care as an energy-draining process, the body actually demands an increased amount of energy so the wound can heal correctly.
Macronutrients to Monitor During Wound Care Carbohydrates: In the proliferative phase of wound healing, carbohydrates stimulate insulin production, which is helpful in the anabolic processes. Here are some of her top tips:2 Post-Injury Nutritional Tips Trauma or surgery may require up to 20 percent more calories, and crutching requires two to three times more energy than walking.
If your athlete or patient is dealing with post-op nausea, recommend bland foods like bananas, rice, applesauce and toast, as well as smaller and more frequent meals with nutrient-dense liquids like smoothies.
Constipation can also occur after surgery, in which case you can recommend increasing fluid and fiber intake. If antibiotics are prescribed, include prebiotic and probiotic-rich foods to restore the beneficial bacteria involved in digestive and immune health that antibiotics can remove.
Prebiotic options include jicama, onion, garlic, asparagus, oats, wheat, barley and mushrooms. Probiotic options include yogurt, kombucha, sauerkraut, miso soup and kimchi.
Increase protein intake alongside the amino acid leucine to maintain anabolic function during the immobilization phase. Leucine rich foods include cheese, meat, fish, nuts and seeds and tempeh. For best results, consume 20 to 35 grams of leucine-rich protein every three hours during the day and before bed.
Control inflammation by swapping pro-inflammatory fats like fried and greasy foods, processed meats and vegetable oils with anti-inflammatory fats found in olive oil, avocado, fish, flax, nuts and seeds. Antioxidant-rich fruits like goji berries, blueberries, tart cherries, elderberries and pineapple can also help control inflammation, and speed up healing.
While the athlete or patient may want to reduce carbohydrate intake to control body weight, whole grains provide many nutrients that fuel and support rehabilitation and healing.
A board-certified specialist in sports dietetics CSSD can give individualized nutrition recommendations so the patient feels confident in his or her recovery plan. Excessive alcohol intake can exacerbate muscle loss during immobilization, impair muscle building and contribute to inflammation.
Make sure the athlete or patient is responsibly monitoring his or her alcohol intake. Consider injury specific nutrition interventions that come with concussions, bone injuries, tendon and ligament injuries and orofacial injuries.
Read the full article for these specific nutritional recommendations. Caffeine can block adenosine receptors, which may reduce DOMS by deactivating the central nervous system. Main sources of caffeine include coffee, tea and chocolate3 Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Omega-3 fatty acids containing eicosanoids such as eicosapentaenoic acid EPA and docosahexaenoic acid DHA.
Home » 6 Best Foods to Nutritiln While Recovering From Nutritioon Injuries. Nutrittion course, Nutrient timing for carbohydrate utilization Injury Recovery Nutrition appointment with a qualified orthopedic specialist is Injury Recovery Nutrition easiest way to Injurj this. If necessary, your orthopedist will also discuss potential surgeries with you. While these factors are important, maintaining a proper diet is equally as essential. When recovering from a sports injury, the right diet can minimize recovery time, streamline the process and help you reach your goal sooner than anticipated. Keep reading for more information! Eating the right amount of protein can reduce the risk of losing a significant amount of muscle mass.Video
Ask Me Anything! - Cancer Recovery Ep. 2
0 thoughts on “Injury Recovery Nutrition”