Nutritional interventions for injury prevention -
Nutritional causes of fatigue in athletes include inadequate total energy intake, glycogen depletion, dehydration and poor iron status. For nutrition to aid in injury prevention, the body must meet its daily energy needs. Insufficient daily overall calories will limit storage of carbohydrate as muscle or liver glycogen.
Poor food choices day after day can lead to the deficiencies resulting in chronic conditions, such as iron deficiency or low bone mineral density. Whether the focus is injury prevention or rehabilitation, getting adequate calories, carbohydrates, protein, fluids, vitamins and minerals are all important.
Prevention of dehydration and muscle glycogen depletion necessitates maximizing muscle glycogen stores prior to and during exercise, as well as beginning activity in a euhydrated state. Following a proper hydration schedule will help athletes maintain their hydration status.
Iron deficiency can occur in both male and female athletes; however, it has been estimated that approximately 60 percent of female college athletes are affected by iron deficiency.
For female athletes there is yet more to consider. Research shows a positive relationship among injury, disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction and low bone mineral density.
Many student-athletes faced with an injury are quick to worry about their body composition. Fears such as gaining weight or muscle turning to fat are common.
To reduce the risk of unwanted weight fat gain and to help the athlete minimize loss of lean mass, special nutritional considerations must be paid to the injured athlete. Energy intake and distribution will need to be reevaluated to match a decreased volume and intensity or to aid in rehabilitation and recovery.
There are a wide range of athletic injuries that can take student-athletes out of the game and the nutritional concerns can vary greatly for each. Bearing an injury requires making modifications to training so that proper rest and recovery can occur.
During rehabilitation and recovery, the specific nutrient needs are similar to those for an athlete desiring muscle growth, with the most important consideration being to avoid malnutrition or nutrient deficiencies.
Here are the specifics on how to eat for optimal recovery and healing while preventing weight gain:. Calories are necessary for the healing process and consuming too few will likely slow the healing process. However, to prevent weight gain while training is on hold, total daily caloric intake likely needs to decrease.
Many athletes are accustomed to consuming additional calories through convenience foods and drinks such as sports drinks, bars, shakes or gels. These sources of fuel are better left for times of intense training and higher energy needs.
Instead, focus on foundation of whole foods that includes lean proteins, fiber-rich whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and healthy fats such as nuts and seeds. These foods tend to be less nutrient-dense as compared to whole food choices. This article was written for the Sport Science Institute by SCAN Registered Dietitians RDs.
For advice on customizing an eating plan for injury prevention or after injury, consult an RD who specializes in sports, particularly a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics CSSD.
Find a SCAN RD at www. During the injury process, the body's need for certain nutrients change. Nutritional adequacy in terms of macro and micronutrients such as vitamins and C can enhance injury healing and repair. Antioxidants and healthy fats also be incorporated into the rehabilitation process.
In some cases, using sports nutrition supplements in the correct dosage and timing might also be useful. Finally, ensuring adequate energy and protein intake during the injury process is key to optimum recovery and preventing muscle atrophy muscle loss.
Supporting the body during the return-to-play process with adequate workout nutrition is key to resilience in the comeback. Return-to-play is an important nutritional timeframe, not only because of changing needs but also to prevent injuries from re-occurring.
Working together in a multidisciplinary team with other professionals such as physiotherapists, doctors, biokineticists, and coaches is key in developing a nutrition protocol for injury prevention and recovery. This is why Health Elevation Nutrition developed a unique multidisciplinary team communication portal where test results, clinical notes, intervention programmes and training programmes can be exchanged according to consent given by the client.
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Sports participation is not without risk, and most athletes inyerventions Nutritional interventions for injury prevention least one injury throughout their careers. Combat sports are popular all around the world, fog about one-third injuey their injuries result in more interbentions 7 days Nutritional interventions for injury prevention absence from competition or training. The most frequently injured Nutrltional regions are the head Digestive health guidelines neck, followed by the upper and lower limbs, while the most common tissue types injured are superficial tissues and skin, followed by ligaments and joint capsules. Nutrition has significant implications for injury prevention and enhancement of the recovery process due to its effect on the overall physical and psychological well-being of the athlete and improving tissue healing. In particular, amino acid and protein intake, antioxidants, creatine, and omega-3 are given special attention due to their therapeutic roles in preventing muscle loss and anabolic resistance as well as promoting injury healing. The purpose of this review is to present the roles of various nutritional strategies in reducing the risk of injury and improving the treatment and rehabilitation process in combat sports. Click name to view affiliation. Nutritilnal are an inevitable consequence Nutritional interventions for injury prevention athletic performance with preventiom athletes unjury one or more during their prrevention careers. As many as one in 12 Weight-to-height ratio incur Intervwntions injury during international competitions, many of which result in time lost from inrerventions and competition. Other common injuries interventiojs fractures, interventons stress fractures in athletes with low energy availability, and injuries to tendons and ligaments, especially those involved in high-impact sports, such as jumping. Given the high prevalence of injury, it is not surprising that there has been a great deal of interest in factors that may reduce the risk of injury, or decrease the recovery time if an injury should occur: One of the main variables explored is nutrition. This review investigates the evidence around various nutrition strategies, including macro- and micronutrients, as well as total energy intake, to reduce the risk of injury and improve recovery time, focusing upon injuries to skeletal muscle, bone, tendons, and ligaments.
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