Sample Meal Plan: Injured Athlete
Introduction
Athletes of all disciplines challenge their bodies on a daily basis to push boundaries and meet new goals. Injuries may occur as a result of over training, stress, improper warm ups or cool downs, as well as many other factors. The severity of an injury will determine an athlete's return to training and ultimately competition as it can change the timeline of full recovery. While rehabilitation in the form of rest and or physical therapy is often thought of when considering how to bounce back from an injury, nutrition is an important component as well.
While an injured athlete is not training at a high intensity, the body will require a slightly higher level of resting energy expenditure to account for the healing process (http://nyshsi.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/SSSI_Injured_Athlete_Nutrition-1.pdf) A drastic cut in daily calories to try to combat weight gain while resting from an injury is actually detrimental in the long run as it can impact bone healing and muscle mass loss. (How Should I Eat When Recovering From My Sports Injury?) In this post we will take a look at a sample meal plan for an injured athlete working on recovering to return to training.
Athlete: Dance Major - severe ankle sprain, attending physical therapy 3x a week, deep water aerobics 2x a week, and yoga 2x a week
Female
22 years old
5'9"
165lbs
Energy Requirements: 2400-2500 calories
CHO's - 1200-1300 kcal/day (lower since there is less high aerobic activity)
PRO's - 500-600 kcal/day (higher to promote muscle repair)
Fats - 480-550 kcal/day (good for decreasing inflammation and maintaining muscle)
Hydration - 75 -150 l/kg/day
Timing - small meals throughout the day, pro/cho before and after physical therapy, water aerobics, ect, vitamin d supplement in the morning, magnesium and zinc in the evening
Supplements:
Vitamin D (15mcg) - While Vitamin D is available in foods and from natural sunlight, chances are an injured athlete is not spending much time outdoors. Supplementing this vitamin is beneficial because it is essential in aiding calcium absorption to promote bone health and enhance recovery. (The Top 14 Foods and Supplements For Sports Injuries)
Magnesium (320-400mg) - This supplement is good for injured athletes dealing with inflammation and muscle soreness. Since it also benefits deeper sleep, it may be recommended to take in the evening. (Recovering Sports Injuries With Magnesium)
Zinc (15-30 mg/day) - Plays a role in prevention of injury and deficiency as well as improve the initial process of healing. (Nutrition For Injury Recovery)
Sample Meal Plan:
Timeline
8:00am - Breakfast (whole grains, protein) *Vitamin D*
8:45am - Pre-Rehab Snack (fuel before physical therapy or water aerobics high in protein)
9:15am - Physical Therapy (45 minutes)
10:15am - Post-Rehab Snack (refuel after exercise)
12:00pm - Lunch (low carb, high in protein and fruits + veggies)
3:00pm - Snack (homemade smoothie with milk, berries, peaches)
6:00pm - Dinner (healthy omega - 3 fats, whole grain rice, and veggies)
8:00pm - tea *magnesium and zinc*
Citations:
(n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/nutrition.asp
University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority. (n.d.). How Should I Eat While Recovering from My Sports Injury? Retrieved from https://www.uwhealth.org/health-wellness/sports-injuries-nutrition-diet/49495
http://nyshsi.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/SSSI_Injured_Athlete_Nutrition-1.pdf
https://www.nata.org/sites/default/files/nutrition-for-injury-recovery-and-rehabilitation.pdf
Berardi, J. M. (2018, March 28). Nutrition for Injury Recovery. Retrieved from https://www.precisionnutrition.com/nutrition-for-injury-part-4
Recovering sports injuries with magnesium. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.sevenminerals.com/blogs/solution-center-sports-fitness/recovering-sports-injuries-magnesium
Petre, A. (2017, January 14). The Top 14 Foods and Supplements for Sports Injuries. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-supplements-for-sports-injury
Athletes of all disciplines challenge their bodies on a daily basis to push boundaries and meet new goals. Injuries may occur as a result of over training, stress, improper warm ups or cool downs, as well as many other factors. The severity of an injury will determine an athlete's return to training and ultimately competition as it can change the timeline of full recovery. While rehabilitation in the form of rest and or physical therapy is often thought of when considering how to bounce back from an injury, nutrition is an important component as well.
While an injured athlete is not training at a high intensity, the body will require a slightly higher level of resting energy expenditure to account for the healing process (http://nyshsi.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/SSSI_Injured_Athlete_Nutrition-1.pdf) A drastic cut in daily calories to try to combat weight gain while resting from an injury is actually detrimental in the long run as it can impact bone healing and muscle mass loss. (How Should I Eat When Recovering From My Sports Injury?) In this post we will take a look at a sample meal plan for an injured athlete working on recovering to return to training.
Athlete: Dance Major - severe ankle sprain, attending physical therapy 3x a week, deep water aerobics 2x a week, and yoga 2x a week
Female
22 years old
5'9"
165lbs
Energy Requirements: 2400-2500 calories
CHO's - 1200-1300 kcal/day (lower since there is less high aerobic activity)
PRO's - 500-600 kcal/day (higher to promote muscle repair)
Fats - 480-550 kcal/day (good for decreasing inflammation and maintaining muscle)
Hydration - 75 -150 l/kg/day
Timing - small meals throughout the day, pro/cho before and after physical therapy, water aerobics, ect, vitamin d supplement in the morning, magnesium and zinc in the evening
Supplements:
Vitamin D (15mcg) - While Vitamin D is available in foods and from natural sunlight, chances are an injured athlete is not spending much time outdoors. Supplementing this vitamin is beneficial because it is essential in aiding calcium absorption to promote bone health and enhance recovery. (The Top 14 Foods and Supplements For Sports Injuries)
Magnesium (320-400mg) - This supplement is good for injured athletes dealing with inflammation and muscle soreness. Since it also benefits deeper sleep, it may be recommended to take in the evening. (Recovering Sports Injuries With Magnesium)
Zinc (15-30 mg/day) - Plays a role in prevention of injury and deficiency as well as improve the initial process of healing. (Nutrition For Injury Recovery)
Sample Meal Plan:
Timeline
8:00am - Breakfast (whole grains, protein) *Vitamin D*
8:45am - Pre-Rehab Snack (fuel before physical therapy or water aerobics high in protein)
9:15am - Physical Therapy (45 minutes)
10:15am - Post-Rehab Snack (refuel after exercise)
12:00pm - Lunch (low carb, high in protein and fruits + veggies)
3:00pm - Snack (homemade smoothie with milk, berries, peaches)
6:00pm - Dinner (healthy omega - 3 fats, whole grain rice, and veggies)
8:00pm - tea *magnesium and zinc*
Citations:
(n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/nutrition.asp
University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority. (n.d.). How Should I Eat While Recovering from My Sports Injury? Retrieved from https://www.uwhealth.org/health-wellness/sports-injuries-nutrition-diet/49495
http://nyshsi.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/SSSI_Injured_Athlete_Nutrition-1.pdf
https://www.nata.org/sites/default/files/nutrition-for-injury-recovery-and-rehabilitation.pdf
Berardi, J. M. (2018, March 28). Nutrition for Injury Recovery. Retrieved from https://www.precisionnutrition.com/nutrition-for-injury-part-4
Recovering sports injuries with magnesium. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.sevenminerals.com/blogs/solution-center-sports-fitness/recovering-sports-injuries-magnesium
Petre, A. (2017, January 14). The Top 14 Foods and Supplements for Sports Injuries. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-supplements-for-sports-injury
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