INTRODUCTION
Sustaining an injury during sports is no fun no matter the type of sports you are engaged with. You may decide to rush home in other to apply ice on the affected area or seek medical attention in case the pain persists. Oftentimes, weeks of physical therapy can help to heal and strengthen the injury and in the worst case, surgery may be needed.
These steps are ok but focusing on nutrition may be an important practice you should not overlook . Eating the right foods can help you heal faster and speed up the recovery . In this posts, we will share with you some basic things about sports injuries and what foods you should focus on to speed up the recovery so pay close attention to this post
Sports Injuries
Sports injuries usually occur more in contact sports like football and basketball than in non-contact sports like running and swimming . Sports Injuries so 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. Let us look at some common sports injuries
- Sprain: A sprain is a tearing of ligaments or tissues that connect two bones together at a joint.
- Strain: A strain is an overstretching or tearing of muscles or tendons—the thick fibrous cords of tissue that connect bone to muscle.
- Stress fracture: Stress fractures are tiny cracks in bone that are caused by repetitive force, often due to overuse.
- Broken bone: A broken bone is a complete or partial break in the bone caused by trauma, overuse, or diseases of weakened bone.
- Dislocation: In some instances, an injury may cause a bone to be dislocated, or forced out of its socket.
- Concussion: A concussion is a type of brain injury that is caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head .
- Inflammation: Example includes are shin splints
Some injuries can cause pain immediately after sustaining them while others can creep up over time and may not be noticed until long term damage occurs . Serious injuries can develop from minor ones so if you suspect you have an injury , see a healthcare provider for accurate diagnosis
How Food Can Help You Recover
Getting adequate nutrition implies that you will heal faster because foods plays a crucial role when it comes to metabolism, energy production , reducing inflammation and improving immunity, These are very important when you are recovering from injury .
You must understand that your body needs more energy and protein to facilitate the healing process, it is very important that you ensure that the correct amount, timing and fequency of protein intake are to be maintained so as to increase strength and prevent muscle mass loss during recovery These characteristics are vital when recovering from injury.
FOODS TO INCLUDE IN YOUR DIET
Having known the importance of food when it comes to recovering from injury, what then are the foods to include in your daily nutrition . We will list them one by one . These include the following below
- Protein – eggs, chicken, turkey, fish, and steak. Dairy foods such as yogurt, cheese, and milk are also good sources of protein.
- Omega 3 fatty acids – fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, and cod liver oil, flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and soybeans.
- Vitamin D – cod liver oil, salmon, swordfish, tuna, orange juice, milk, and plant milks fortified with vitamin D, egg yolks, and fortified breakfast cereals
- Vitamin c – include citrus fruits, bell pepper, tomatoes, broccoli, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, and white potatoes.
- Calcium – dairy and fortified plant-milks, cheese, yogurt, fortified orange juice, tofu, edamame, canned sardines and salmon with bones, and almonds.
- Zinc -whole grains, dairy products, oysters, red meat, poultry, chickpeas, and nuts.
- Magnesium – Nuts and seeds. black beans, edamame, lima beans, quinoa, yogurt, spinach. and dark chocolate.
In conclusion , with the right nutrition, sleep, and stress reduction regimen in place, you are more likely to be back on your feet in no time. In addiction to the foods to include in your daily nutrition , You also should prioritize sleep and stress management during your rehabilitation period.
