By Kate Shilland, Sports Nutritionist at LBSM
Injuries can be frustrating, whether you’re a professional athlete or someone who simply enjoys staying active. While it’s easy to focus only on rehab exercises or rest, it’s really important to focus on your nutrition too. What you eat plays a key a role in how well, and how quickly, you heal. Nutrition for injury recovery isn’t just about general “healthy eating.” It’s part of a targeted and purposeful recovery plan. It’s also an opportunity to learn how to better fuel your body
At LBSM, I work with clients across all stages of healing, from acute injuries and post-surgery rehab to long-term recovery and return to sport.
In this blog, I’ll answer the most common questions people ask about nutrition and injury recovery and explain how the right foods and nutrients can help you heal faster, stay strong, and return to doing what you love.
What Foods Help Heal Injuries Faster?
When your body is injured, it immediately starts working to repair tissue. This process requires energy, nutrients, and specific building blocks from the food you eat.
The first step is to make sure you are getting all you need for each meal. Some of the best foods for injury recovery include:
- Lean protein sources like chicken, fish, eggs, tofu, Greek yogurt, and legumes
- Colourful fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants (berries, spinach, peppers, sweet potato)
- Healthy fats such as avocado, olive oil, nuts and seeds, and oily fish
- Whole grains for sustained energy (brown rice, quinoa, oats)
Eating a wide variety of these whole foods ensures your body has everything it needs to support healing at a cellular level.
What Should I Eat After Surgery to Promote Healing?
Post-surgery nutrition is another aspect of recovery that is really important. Whether you’ve had a tendon repair, fracture fixation, or soft tissue surgery, your body enters a highly demanding recovery phase.
In the early days you need to try and focus on:
- Hydration: Water and electrolyte balance is super important, especially if you’ve had anaesthetic. You can use hydration powders or sports drinks, or just mix some fruit squash with a pinch of salt.
- Protein: You’ll need more than usual to rebuild tissue and prevent muscle breakdown. Eat plenty of chicken, fish, or if you’re vegetarian, things like lentils, tofu and chickpeas.
- Micronutrients: Vitamin C, vitamin A, zinc, and magnesium are all involved in wound healing and immune function.
As your appetite returns, I encourage clients to follow an anti-inflammatory, protein-rich, nutrient-dense plan. Supplements can sometimes help too (more on that below).
How Much Protein Do I Need to Recover from an Injury?
This is one of the most common questions I get. During injury, protein needs increase significantly. Your body needs it in order to:
- Repair damaged muscle, tendon or ligament tissue
- Prevent muscle loss due to inactivity
- Support immune function
I usually recommend 1.6 – 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day, depending on the type of injury and individual goals. For example, a 70kg person would need between 112 – 154g of protein daily.
It’s also important to spread protein intake across meals and snacks to maximise muscle protein synthesis; you should be aiming to have some protein every 3 – 4 hours.
Does Nutrition Affect Muscle and Tendon Healing?
Yes, it significantly impacts these tissues’ ability to heal. Tendons and muscles are both made of protein structures and rebuilding them requires the right nutrients in the right amounts. Poor nutrition can slow down healing and even increase the risk of re-injury.
For tendon or ligament healing, your body also need to produce more collagen. I often recommend collagen or gelatin supplements combined with vitamin C, taken about 30 to 60 minutes before doing your rehab exercises.
This has been shown in studies, to enhance collagen synthesis and may help support tissue repair.
What Are the Best Supplements for Injury Recovery?
While real food should always come first, certain supplements can play a supportive role in your recovery and healing.
These are the main ones that I would recommend:
- Collagen or gelatin + vitamin C: For soft tissue and joint repair
- Omega-3 fatty acids: Helps to reduce inflammation
- Vitamin D and calcium: For stronger bone repair and joint health
- Creatine monohydrate: Helps preserve muscle mass during a period of inactivity
- Zinc and magnesium: Supports your immune function and tissue repair
- Iron: Post surgery due to blood loss
It’s important to speak to a qualified nutritionist (like myself!) to determine whether supplementation is appropriate and safe for you.
What Should Athletes Eat When Injured but Not Training?
The biggest factor for injury recovery is not to be in an energy deficit. This can be a tricky balance though for anyone who is usually active and trains regularly. Whilst reduced activity means lower calorie expenditure, your body is being put under huge strain while it recovers, and it still needs lots of calories and nutrients for healing.
Undereating can delay healing and cause muscle loss. Instead, adjust your energy intake slightly, making sure you prioritise protein, nutrient dense and anti-inflammatory foods.
I often work with injured athletes to build a recovery plan that maintains muscle, supports tissue repair and avoids negative body composition chages. It’s about balance, not restriction.
Is Collagen Effective for Ligament or Tendon Injuries?
There’s growing evidence that collagen, especially when taken with vitamin C, can help improve outcomes in tendon and ligament rehab.
I usually recommend a collagen supplement (around 10-15g) with 50mg of vitamin C about an hour before doing rehab exercises. This approach supports targeted collagen synthesis in the healing tissues.
Consistency is key – daily intake over several weeks is necessary to see potential benefits.
What’s the Best Anti-Inflammatory Diet for Injury Recovery?
Inflammation is a normal part of healing, so while we want some inflammation taking place, it’s important to control the level of inflammation in your body. High levels of chronic inflammation can actually hinder recovery.
I recommend an anti-inflammatory diet that includes:
- Oily fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel)
- Colourful vegetables and fruits (especially berries, greens, beetroot, turmeric)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Nuts and seeds (especially walnuts, flax, chia)
- Whole grains instead of processed carbs
Avoid ultra-processed foods, excess sugar and alcohol where possible as these can all promote inflammation and disrupt recovery.
How Many Calories Should I Eat When Recovering?
Your calorie needs may decrease slightly if you’re not training, but they won’t drop as much as you might think. Healing is an energy-intensive process. In some cases, like after surgery or with major trauma injury, your metabolic needs actually go up by as much as 15-50%.
It needs an individual approach, based on each specific patient’s needs; I calculate energy needs based on injury type, stage of healing, body composition goals and overall health. What’s most important is avoiding undernutrition, which can prolong recovery and lead to muscle loss.
What Foods Should I Avoid During Injury Recovery?
While I don’t like to label foods as strictly “bad,” there are definitely some that you should limit during injury:
- Highly processed foods high in sugar and trans fats
- Excessive alcohol, which impairs tissue healing and reduces sleep quality
- Foods low in nutrients but high in calories (e.g. fast food, sweets)
These foods won’t help your recovery and can increase inflammation, slow healing, and lead to unwanted weight gain if consumed in excess.
Can Poor Nutrition Really Slow Down Injury Recovery?
Yes, absolutely! Inadequate nutrition can impair collagen synthesis, muscle regeneration, immune function and bone healing. I’ve seen in clinic; clients who under-fuel often take longer to recover, feel fatigued and are more likely to lose muscle mass or strength.
That’s why I always encourage clients to view nutrition as part of their rehab, not just an afterthought.
How Can I Maintain Muscle Mass While Injured?
This is a big concern, especially for athletes or those facing prolonged, limited mobility, following injury or surgery.
Here’s what I recommend:
- Increase protein intake (2.0 – 2.2g/kg/day)
- Distribute protein evenly across the day (every 3 – 4 hours)
- Consider creatine supplementation (5g/day)
- Stay as active as possible – any movement helps
- Prioritise rehab exercises, especially resistance-based ones (this should be done under guidance from your Physiotherapist or Sports Doctor.
Final Thoughts
Healing from injury can be physically and emotionally challenging, but the right nutrition can make a real difference to your outcomes. Whether you’re recovering from surgery, managing a soft tissue injury, or just on a break from training, giving your body the fuel it needs is one of the most powerful tools in your recovery toolkit.
At LBSM, I work closely with injured clients to create realistic, enjoyable, and science-backed nutrition plans that support tissue repair, reduce inflammation, preserve muscle mass, and promote overall wellbeing.
If you’re injured and unsure what to eat, or you just want expert support, I’m here to help.
Get in touch to book a 1:1 consultation or to learn more about our injury recovery services.
