Clinical guide
Nutrition for Injury Recovery
After an injury, people often eat less because they move less, feel nauseated, or try to “eat light” while they are less active. Intake can fall just when tissue repair needs it.
Energy needs do not drop to zero
Resting metabolism continues, and repair has a cost. A short period of lower training volume is not a reason to crash-diet. Athletes and very active patients are the group where low energy availability is best described. The same idea, in milder form, applies to a patient who is suddenly sedentary and also skipping meals.
Protein and fluids
Spreading protein across meals is a practical teaching point supported by muscle-protein research in active people. It is not a gram-per-pound target you should hand to every patient. Fluids matter when fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or a very low intake is present. Tell the patient to follow medical guidance for fluid restriction, which is common in heart and kidney disease.
Patient education that stays in scope
- Eat regular meals rather than waiting until the end of the day.
- Include a protein-containing food at meals if there is no medical restriction.
- Keep water available during sessions unless a clinician has limited fluids.
- Bring questions about supplements, diabetes, or kidney disease to the prescriber or a dietitian.
Related resources
Musculoskeletal recovery
Load still does the remodeling.
Inflammation
What diet research does and does not support.
Course catalog
Three 4-CEU courses. Course 1 and Course 3 are $149. Course 2 is $149.99.
Start with the foundations course
Introduction to Nutrition is the 4-CEU course on food groups, intake, and how to talk about them.