Calcium and vitamin D are nutrients associated with healthy bones, so if you have a bone fracture or a stress fracture, make sure to get plenty of these 2 nutrients to strength your bones. The best sources of calcium and vitamin D are low-fat dairy foods. Yogurt, a good source of calcium, is not always fortified with vitamin D, so check the nutrition label of your favorite yogurt to make sure you are getting vitamin D.

It may sound odd to mention fiber with healing foods, but the pain medications that are commonly prescribed after injury or surgery cause constipation. Prunes or prune juice along with drinking plenty of water have a natural laxative effect that can alleviate constipation while on pain medications.

Other good fiber sources include fresh fruits and vegetables, high-fiber whole grain cereals, and legumes. Nutrition for the Injured Athlete from Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Skip to main content. Fish can also be a major source of healthy protein.

Also, non-meats like beans, tofu, and nuts can be a steady part of your diet as well. An orthopedist familiar with your recovery plan can provide specific advice about appropriate protein intake and how to care for your injury at home.

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. Zinc: More than zinc-containing enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, are involved in wound healing.

However, excess zinc supplementation can interfere with the absorption of other cations, specifically iron and copper. Therefore, supplementation should be avoided unless deficiency is present. After suffering a musculoskeletal injury, the proper nutritional support can help the body regain optimal fuel for rehabilitation.

Here are some of her top tips Delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS, may not be as serious of an ailment or require a long recovery like wounds or musculoskeletal injuries.

Still, this natural result of regular exercise can be both healed and prevented by proper nutrition. In one review of nutritional intervention for DOMS , researchers reviewed four nutrients that have been suggested to aide sore muscles:.

As you can tell from these recommendations, maintaining a healthy, balanced diet is not only conductive to maintaining weight and building muscle.

It is not as simple as just how many calories you are ingesting, rather quality, variety, and excellent macro- and micronutrient distribution is important. A RDN can assist in building a plan that includes high quality foods.

Hoogenboom is a professor and an associate program chair at Grand Valley State University, in the Department of Physical Therapy. She was one of the first Board Certified Sports Clinical Specialists in West Michigan in , and has since been recertified twice by the ABPTS, most recently in She has been a Certified Athletic Trainer since She maintains a clinical practice by volunteering at the GVSU Pro Bono clinic.

Barb is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association and a member of the American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy, where she has been honored with the Academy's highest award, The Ron Peyton Award, and is also a member of the Turner A.

Blackburn Sports Physical Therapy Hall of Fame. She also received the "Lifetime Excellence in Education" award from the AASPT.

She is a member of the Female Athlete Triad Coalition, and The Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine. Barb enjoys clinical research, and has authored many research and clinical commentary articles on the female athlete, nutrition, functional movement, and movement analysis.

She has contributed to 10 textbooks and 5 Home Study Courses on various musculoskeletal topics. She is the editor of the therapeutic exercise textbook entitled "Therapeutic Exercise: Techniques for Intervention" the third edition of which was released in She is also the Senior Associate Editor for The International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy.

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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.

Zinc is also found in whole grain breads and cereals, legumes dried beans and peas , and nuts. It is better to get zinc from foods than supplements. High-dose zinc supplements can cause nausea and vomiting. Calcium and vitamin D are nutrients associated with healthy bones, so if you have a bone fracture or a stress fracture, make sure to get plenty of these 2 nutrients to strength your bones.

The best sources of calcium and vitamin D are low-fat dairy foods. Yogurt, a good source of calcium, is not always fortified with vitamin D, so check the nutrition label of your favorite yogurt to make sure you are getting vitamin D.

It may sound odd to mention fiber with healing foods, but the pain medications that are commonly prescribed after injury or surgery cause constipation.

Prunes or prune juice along with drinking plenty of water have a natural laxative effect that can alleviate constipation while on pain medications. Other good fiber sources include fresh fruits and vegetables, high-fiber whole grain cereals, and legumes.

Some antioxidants are naturally found within the body, but can also be consumed through food. Further evidence is needed to determine whether athletes, let alone injured athletes, are in need of higher amounts of antioxidants.

Based on current evidence, increasing dietary antioxidants is preferred through food over supplements. Athletes are encouraged to eat a wide variety of the antioxidant rich foods shown below while also avoiding foods that can contribute to inflammation such as processed foods and those containing an excessive amount of saturated or trans-fat.

Source: Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Balancing Exercise Induced Inflammation. Many of them are parents and bring a special understanding to what our patients and families experience. Urgent Care. Looking for Answers to More Parenting Questions?

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