These amino acids are the build blocks of new tissue and following injury your body needs extra protein and needs this protein supplied in a steady stream to promote the healing process. Tip with protein — Aim to include 20 to 30 grams of quality protein at each meal and snack, this includes consuming foods such as eggs, chicken, lean beef, seafood, low fat dairy products, tofu, lentils… Fats — Eating the right fats during injury is important as not only are essential fats good for your joint and heart health but they also have anti-inflammatory properties.

Try eating foods like olive oil, nuts, nut butters including peanut butter, flax oil, avocados… Tip with fats — Try to consume Omega-3 Fats , these are the fats in our diet that are in good supply in cold water fish and flax oil.

Consider a supplement if your diet is low in these fats as they can play an important role in regulating the inflammatory response and as well as this they may help decrease muscle atrophy which can be challenging to avoid as we age. Vitamin A: Vitamin A is used to make new skin and other tissues and is considered to be vital to your healing.

Tip with vitamin A — Try and eat two servings of leafy greens and yellow and orange vegetables every day during your rehabilitation, fish oil also has naturally occurring vitamin A so that is another reason to look at increasing your cold fish intake during injury. Vitamin C: Your body needs vitamin C, it is essential for the repair of connective tissue and to reduce inflammation.

Vitamin C helps make collagen which is the substance that helps glues the injured area back together. Tip with vitamin C — Regular intake of vitamin C is important, try having a diet rich in berries, oranges, cantaloupe, and other fruits, doing this you will easily meet your healing bodies vitamin C requirements.

Vitamin D: Vitamin D is important in rebuilding bone after fractures. Vitamin D is naturally produced by your body when exposed to sunlight so your circulating levels can drop during the winter months. Meaning if you are undergoing rehabilitation for a fracture it is crucial to add Vitamin D to your diet, either naturally via getting exposed to some sunlight in the safer UV times of day here in Sydney or via vitamin D enriched foods.

Vitamins E: Vitamins E is important for connective tissue and cell repair, helping prevent internal scarring. Tip with vitamin E — Try and eat lots of avocados, alfalfa sprouts, dark leafy green vegetables, nuts and seeds to get your fix of vitamin E.

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.

Casein, a milk protein that comes in powdered form and many dairy products, contains all the amino acids your body needs to build and repair muscle. Creatine, an amino acid, may help prevent muscle loss , especially while a limb is immobilized. Whey protein may boost ligament, tendon, and muscle healing when consumed within an hour after exercise or rehabilitation.

And collagen, when ingested before exercise with vitamin C, may help with the recovery of ligament and tendon injuries. Consult with your doctor or a nutritionist first to ensure a supplement makes sense for you.

As with most nutritional questions, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Search Search. Becky Wade Originally Published Feb 17, Updated May 12, btn, a.

Eat Enough Respect the energy demands of healing. Change Is Good Just as elite runners eat differently during mile weeks than during taper weeks, your nutritional needs will change throughout a season of injury. Whole Foods Are Better Than Supplements A supplement, by definition, is supposed to be an add-on, not the main ingredient.

Want to transform your relationship with food and develop healthier eating habits? A protein deficiency can ultimately impair cellular growth and the formation of new blood vessels, and decrease the ability of the immune system to lessen inflammation. Adults should aim for approximately 20 to 30 grams of protein per meal, for a total of three to four meals per day.

You can find protein in lean meats, like chicken or turkey breast, or in convenient protein powders or protein bars.

Also aim to include 2 to 3 grams of Leucine per meal. Leucine is one of three essential branched-chain amino acids BCAAs that provide energy to skeletal muscle and other tissue during exercise. Leucine helps enhance tissue recovery post-injury and can be found in foods like poultry, fish, milk, and eggs.

Inflammation is the primary injury symptom that can prolong recovery. Fortunately, you can include healthy foods in your diet that help control this inflammation, particularly foods with omega-3 fatty acids.

Though present in fish, you can also find essential omega-3 in foods like nuts and seeds like:. Nuts and seeds are also an awesome source of healthy carbs.

Stock up on nuts and seeds when grocery shopping to replace sugary breakfast cereals or snacks like pretzels and chips. Herbs and spices have been proven to show anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Here are five herbs and spices to include in your cooking to enhance injury recovery:. What you put into your body dictates what you get out of it.

Be sure to avoid long-term energy deficits, like weight loss diets or short-term crash diets. These dietary changes — along with fasting — should always be supervised and monitored by a trained professional.

Similarly, avoid any overt deficiencies in protein, vitamins, and minerals. Tools like Cronometer. com or MyFitnessPal. Lastly, attempt to get the majority of your calories from a wide variety of minimally processed, whole foods that YOU digest and absorb well.

A cheat sheet for a generally healthy diet includes a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, protein, complex carbohydrates, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Work with a holistic nutritionist to learn what foods digest and absorb best for you. What you eat today will impact your health within minutes to hours.

This means you can decide to overhaul your diet today and begin to experience the benefits almost immediately. While you might not be able to heal your injury overnight, you can fuel your body with the nutrients it needs to repair and protect itself from further damage.

Together, we can discuss dietary changes, optional nutraceuticals or supplements, and other lifestyle changes that can assist in a healthier, happier you.

Barbie Cervoni MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist. Whether you are training for a marathon, lifting weights at the gym, or playing recreational softball, getting sidelined by an injury is no fun.

Immediately after the injury occurs, you may rush home to ice the affected area and pop some anti-inflammatory medicine. While you hope it is just minor and heals on its own, if pain persists you may need to seek medical attention from a sports medicine doctor or orthopedic surgeon.

Oftentimes, weeks of physical therapy can help to heal and strengthen the injury and in the worst case, surgery may be needed.

While these are the obvious steps to take after a sports injury, focusing on nutrition may be an important piece not to overlook. Eating for your injury and choosing the right foods may help you heal faster and speed up your recovery.

Here is what you should know about sports injuries and what foods and nutrients to focus on so you can return to your sport as quickly as possible. Sports injuries may occur while participating in exercise or a sport. You may be at risk for a sports injury if you don't warm up properly before working out, aren't regularly active, or play a contact sport.

Injuries can also occur from repetitive use or overuse. Contact sports, such as football and basketball, see more sports injuries than non-contact sports, such as running and swimming. But injuries can occur in any sport.

Sports injuries also vary greatly in terms of severity. Some may mean taking a few days off from activity to rest and repair the injury and others may entail weeks to months of rest and rehabilitation. Many sports injuries happen immediately and cause pain and discomfort right away. Other types, such as overuse injuries, can creep up over time and may not be noticed until long-term damage occurs.

It is important to rest even if an injury is very minor. Complicated and more serious injuries can grow from small ones, so take care as soon as possible and try to not let a less severe injury go untreated.

If you suspect that you have an injury—even a minor one—it is important to see a healthcare provider for accurate diagnosis and a treatment plan. Accurate diagnosis, rest, and recovery are imperative to healing and getting back on your feet. Food plays an important role in metabolism, energy production, hemoglobin synthesis, lean mass and bone mass maintenance, reducing inflammation, and improving immunity.

These characteristics are vital when recovering from injury. Getting adequate nutrition means you will heal faster. In fact, calorie and nutrient needs are even higher than usual in order to fight sarcopenia, which is the progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength.

When an injury occurs, the body requires more energy and protein from nutritious foods to aid in the healing process. Ensuring the correct amount, timing, and frequency of protein intake has shown to increase strength and prevent muscle mass loss during recovery.

While some research points to whey protein as the most favorable type of protein, other research shows no significant differences between type of protein and that amount of protein consumed was more important to promote healing.

Additionally, certain foods can help fight inflammation that occurs during an injury. When you get injured, inflammation can occur within 1 to 2 hours.

During this process neutrophils flood the affected area and remove cellular debris, which is followed by a regenerative response where new cells replace previously damaged ones.

Although inflammation is actually a helpful part in healing process, it should not go on for too long—which is where anti-inflammatory foods are key.

There are a variety of specific foods and nutrients that are important to focus on when injured. Including these foods daily may help in the healing process and speed up your recovery.

Here's what your daily nutrition should consist of when you are recovering from an injury. Protein prevents the loss of lean muscle mass, especially when the injury requires the body part to be immobilized. As a result, higher protein intakes are necessary to maintain strength and heal the injury.

Frequently when injuries occur, the athlete may reduce their intake due to less movement. If all macronutrients are proportional, this means that protein intake is decreased as well, which may impede wound healing and increase inflammation. Studies show that increasing total protein has better outcomes on muscle protein synthesis and injury healing.

Timing of protein intake also plays an important role in recovery. Protein foods to focus on are eggs, chicken, turkey, fish, and steak.

Dairy foods such as yogurt, cheese, and milk are also good sources of protein. If you want more plant-based protein sources look to tofu, beans, nuts, tempeh, edamame, and soy milk. According to research, omega-3 fatty acids from food and supplements may be beneficial for sports injuries due to their anti-inflammatory properties.

Animal models show that omega-3 fatty acids can alter muscle metabolism and affect the way it responds to exercise. The research shows that a muscle already nourished with omega-3 fatty acids may respond differently to a trajectory of humans diseases, including injury.

It is important to note that animal research does not necessarily translate to human conditions. While it is important to consume foods high in omega-3 fatty acids following injury to decrease inflammation, there is further evidence to suggest they are important to eat on a regular basis as well to improve outcomes.

Food sources rich in omega-3 fatty acids include fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, and cod liver oil, flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and soybeans.

Although not as high in omega-3s, pasture-raised eggs, some meats and dairy products, hemp seeds, and spinach contain smaller amounts. One study highlights the consumption of a Mediterranean diet high in omega-3s and monounsaturated fats can help decrease inflammation in the cartilage after injury, preventing osteoarthritis.

Vitamin D is best known for its role in bone health, but research also shows it plays a role in skeletal muscle growth, immune and cardiopulmonary functions, and inflammatory modulation. All of these factors are important for athletic performance and injury recovery.

Additionally, vitamin D deficiency is common in the general population as well as in athletes, which can lead to complications such as depression and osteoporosis.

Meanwhile, high serum levels of vitamin D are associated with reduced injury rates and better sports performance due its role in increasing muscle strength.

If you are an athlete or engage in sports activities, it is a good idea to get your vitamin D levels tested by your healthcare provider. Food sources of vitamin D include cod liver oil, salmon, swordfish, tuna, orange juice, milk, and plant milks fortified with vitamin D, egg yolks, and fortified breakfast cereals.

UVB light from the sun can also form vitamin D through a chemical reaction in the skin. But, it is best to balance your exposure by using sunscreen when spending large blocks of time outdoors. Vitamin C plays a major role in many phases of wound and injury healing.

In the beginning phases, it is responsible for clearing the neutrophils from the inflamed site. Vitamin C also contributes to synthesis, maturation, and secretion of collagen. The body works to maintain high levels of vitamin C to ensure availability for collagen synthesis.

When a wound or injury occurs, vitamin C can become depleted and supplements may be needed. One review studies looked at studies that studied vitamin C supplementation on musculoskeletal injuries.

The studies showed that vitamin C supplementation may be beneficial to accelerate bone healing after a fracture, increase collagen synthesis, and reduce oxidative stress. Food sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, bell pepper, tomatoes, broccoli, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, and white potatoes.

If you are considering taking vitamin C supplements, talk to a healthcare provider to determine if your current medications may be impacted and to determine the best dose for you. Along with vitamin D, calcium works to maintain bone health in athletes.

There are many known benefits to weight-bearing exercise on bone health, but without adequate calories and nutrients, bone health may suffer and put the athlete at risk for osteopenia and osteoporosis. Bone stress injuries are a concern in athletes and modifiable risk factors include physical activity, energy availability, and calcium and vitamin D status.

Foods rich in calcium include dairy and fortified plant-milks, cheese, yogurt, fortified orange juice, tofu, edamame, canned sardines and salmon with bones, and almonds.

Zinc is an important mineral involved in immunity, metabolism, and anti-oxidative processes. One study reviewed zinc status in athletes compared to the control population.

The study found that despite high zinc intake, serum zinc concentrations were lower in athletes. This data suggests that athletes have a higher zinc requirement compared to those are not physically active. Another study looked at the role minerals play in age-related muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance.

Zinc status was positively associated with physical performance in older adults. Zinc is important nutrient to prevent injuries as one ages. Food sources of zinc include whole grains, dairy products, oysters, red meat, poultry, chickpeas, and nuts. Magnesium is involved in hundreds of biological processes making it essential for preventing and healing sports injuries.

It is required to maintain normal nerve and muscle function, heart rhythm, blood pressure, the immune system, bone integrity, blood glucose levels, and promotes calcium absorption.

Studies show magnesium to be a significant predictor of bone mineral density in athletes, even after adjusting for calories, vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus. Foods rich in magnesium include nuts and seeds.

black beans, edamame, lima beans, quinoa, yogurt, spinach. and dark chocolate. If your injury leads you to a healthcare provider always follow their recommendations.

You may need a series of imaging scans, such as MRIs, and you may need to work with a physical therapist. Listen to their guidance before returning to your sport. For example, they may want you to limit your mileage running or the amount of time playing in the beginning and work up slowly.

Going back too intensely too fast can result in a re-injury and sidelining you even longer. In addition to nutrition, adequate sleep and stress reduction plays a critical a role in speeding up recovery. One study examined the effect of sleep deprivation on muscle injury recovery due to high-intensity exercise in mice.

The study found that sleep deprivation reduces muscle protein synthesis, which slows the repair of muscle, slowing the healing process. You also may want to employ stress-reduction techniques to improve stress management in order to speed up the healing process.

After all, an injury is both physically painful as well as mentally taxing, especially if the injury is keeping you from achieving your goals. One study used a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction intervention to reduce the perception of pain, decrease stress and anxiety, and increase the positive mood in injured athletes.

Consequently, the researchers recommend mindfulness be used as part of the rehabilitation process. While sports injuries are certainly discouraging, with the right nutrition, sleep, and stress reduction regimen in place, you are more likely to be back on your feet in no time.

Be sure to include lots of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and many micronutrients in your diet to help fuel your body during the healing process.

You also should prioritize sleep and stress management during your rehabilitation period and always listen to the recommendations of your healthcare provider or physical therapist before returning to your sport. By adhering to their guidance and caring for your body you will be back doing what you love in no time.

Foods that help to heal wounds include foods high in protein, vitamin C, and zinc. Focus on beef, chicken, seafood, and beans, strawberries, citrus fruits, and broccoli, and fortified grains.

Eating well, sleeping, and stress management can help your body heal faster. Focus on healing foods rich in protein, omega-3s, vitamin C, and zinc and be sure to prioritize sleep and stress reduction techniques.

Food can certainly be medicine when it comes to injury recovery. Good nutrition decreases inflammation, provides key nutrients to tissue-building cells, and minimizes muscle atrophy to preserve strength.

Papadopoulou SK. Rehabilitation nutrition for injury recovery of athletes: The role of macronutrient intake. Haltmeier T, Inaba K, Schnüriger B, et al. Factors affecting the caloric and protein intake over time in critically ill trauma patients.

J Surg Res. Reidy P. Role of ingested amino acids and protein in the promotion of resistance exercise—induced muscle protein anabolism. Chen L, Deng H, Cui H, et al. Inflammatory responses and inflammation-associated diseases in organs. Remember me Log in. Lost your password? What Types Of Foods Should Be Avoided During Injury?

And sugary drinks and foods promote inflammation so as your blood sugar levels increase, so do inflammatory factors which can potentially impact pain levels and tissue healing.

Fried And Fatty Foods — Contain oils high in omega-6 fatty acids not the good fatty acids, which can again potentially increase inflammation. Carbohydrates — By eating carbs your body can use this as fuel and use the protein you consume to help repair and heal injured muscles.

Because your metabolism can go up following injury, with your body burning more fuel to help build repair damaged and build new tissue. Some suggest that it is important to keep your fuel up and continue feeding the healing process. Protein — Protein digests into the amino acids needed to repair damaged muscles.

These amino acids are the build blocks of new tissue and following injury your body needs extra protein and needs this protein supplied in a steady stream to promote the healing process.

Tip with protein — Aim to include 20 to 30 grams of quality protein at each meal and snack, this includes consuming foods such as eggs, chicken, lean beef, seafood, low fat dairy products, tofu, lentils… Fats — Eating the right fats during injury is important as not only are essential fats good for your joint and heart health but they also have anti-inflammatory properties.

Try eating foods like olive oil, nuts, nut butters including peanut butter, flax oil, avocados… Tip with fats — Try to consume Omega-3 Fats , these are the fats in our diet that are in good supply in cold water fish and flax oil.

Consider a supplement if your diet is low in these fats as they can play an important role in regulating the inflammatory response and as well as this they may help decrease muscle atrophy which can be challenging to avoid as we age.

Vitamin A: Vitamin A is used to make new skin and other tissues and is considered to be vital to your healing. Tip with vitamin A — Try and eat two servings of leafy greens and yellow and orange vegetables every day during your rehabilitation, fish oil also has naturally occurring vitamin A so that is another reason to look at increasing your cold fish intake during injury.

Vitamin C: Your body needs vitamin C, it is essential for the repair of connective tissue and to reduce inflammation. Vitamin C helps make collagen which is the substance that helps glues the injured area back together. Tip with vitamin C — Regular intake of vitamin C is important, try having a diet rich in berries, oranges, cantaloupe, and other fruits, doing this you will easily meet your healing bodies vitamin C requirements.

Vitamin D: Vitamin D is important in rebuilding bone after fractures. Vitamin D is naturally produced by your body when exposed to sunlight so your circulating levels can drop during the winter months.

Meaning if you are undergoing rehabilitation for a fracture it is crucial to add Vitamin D to your diet, either naturally via getting exposed to some sunlight in the safer UV times of day here in Sydney or via vitamin D enriched foods.

Vitamins E: Vitamins E is important for connective tissue and cell repair, helping prevent internal scarring.

Tea also contains naturally-occurring stimulants. Drinking some before a workout can give you a much-needed energy boost and get the blood pumping as you go. Add some berries particularly blueberries to your post-workout diet to help minimize the effects when you wake up the next morning.

Blueberries are rich in antioxidants, which help prevent free radical damage after a tough workout. Try drinking a blueberry shake before and after your workout for an extra boost to your performance. Proper hydration is key to making sure every workout turns out smoothly.

One fun thing to note about these foods is that they do more than help your body get better after a traumatic injury. These foods are crucial for refueling your body after a heavy workout and getting it ready for more. We provide a range of services to help address a broad spectrum of different conditions.

Our caring staff are ready to provide individualized treatment to help you get back on your feet. Call us at to book an appointment and take your first steps back to good health and a full recovery.

Embarking on a weight loss journey requires more than calorie counting; it demands a mindful examination of our daily eating habits.

If you sense that your attempts at healthy eating face setbacks,…. Massage therapy works to reduce pain, inflammation, and tension and enhance blood flow, whereas physiotherapy focuses on developing strength, mobility, range of motion, and preventing future damage.

These two manual treatments, when…. Cottage Cheese Cheese contains plenty of protein to help your body rebuild after an injury. Other Dairy Products Most dairy products also contain additional vitamins and minerals that can boost healing, particularly for healing teeth and bones.

Fish Fish is just good for you. In addition to diet, you can benefit from physical therapy to help you regain movement and combat muscle loss. To learn more or make an appointment, give us a call to find a location near you. Schedule an appointment with one of our expert physical therapists today.

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email. By Michelle Bogert, PT, DPT Paradise Valley Location Many people think about injury recovery and immediately imagine physical therapy sessions and rehabilitation routines. Best Foods and Nutrients for Injury Recovery Plenty of different foods can help you recover from an injury, and these are some of the most beneficial.

Anti-Inflammatory Foods When you are injured, it will trigger several responses, including an overall inflammation of the body. Some great foods to choose for this purpose include: Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries Fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, or anchovies Broccoli Avocados Mushrooms Peppers Grapes In addition to these foods, you can enjoy drinks such as green tea and cook with extra virgin olive oil for an additional dose of anti-inflammatory power.

Lean Protein-Rich Foods for Injury Recovery Protein contains essential amino acids that are important to preventing muscle atrophy and sustaining your energy levels. Some other great smoothie ingredients for injury recovery include: Greek yogurt Berries Turmeric powder Fresh fruits Vegetables Mix in as many healthy ingredients as possible for a meal replacement to help you recover.

Should I eat organic produce? What happens when you eat a refined carb like sugar? How Nutrition Impacts Injury Recovery Nutrition and injury recovery go hand in hand. Don't live with pain. February 8, Why Athletes Need Sports Physical Therapy.

February 6, Improve Your Golf Swing with Physical Therapy. Ready to reclaim your life? Foothills is here to help. This information is provided as an educational service and is not intended to serve as medical advice. Anyone seeking specific orthopaedic advice or assistance on Nutrition For Injuries should consult his or her general practitioner, physiotherapist or dietician.

Hayden Latimer is the founder of and principle physiotherapist at Sydney Physio Clinic. Remember me Log in. Lost your password? What Types Of Foods Should Be Avoided During Injury?

And sugary drinks and foods promote inflammation so as your blood sugar levels increase, so do inflammatory factors which can potentially impact pain levels and tissue healing. Fried And Fatty Foods — Contain oils high in omega-6 fatty acids not the good fatty acids, which can again potentially increase inflammation.

Carbohydrates — By eating carbs your body can use this as fuel and use the protein you consume to help repair and heal injured muscles. Because your metabolism can go up following injury, with your body burning more fuel to help build repair damaged and build new tissue.

Some suggest that it is important to keep your fuel up and continue feeding the healing process. Protein — Protein digests into the amino acids needed to repair damaged muscles.

These amino acids are the build blocks of new tissue and following injury your body needs extra protein and needs this protein supplied in a steady stream to promote the healing process. Tip with protein — Aim to include 20 to 30 grams of quality protein at each meal and snack, this includes consuming foods such as eggs, chicken, lean beef, seafood, low fat dairy products, tofu, lentils… Fats — Eating the right fats during injury is important as not only are essential fats good for your joint and heart health but they also have anti-inflammatory properties.