Protein and injury recovery: how much do you need?
When you're injured, the natural instinct is to eat less because you're moving less. For protein, that's usually the wrong move. An injured limb loses muscle quickly, and what you eat can influence how much you lose and how well you rebuild.
This is general information, not individual dietary advice. Steven is an osteopath, not a dietitian. For a plan tailored to you, particularly if you have a medical condition, see your GP or an Accredited Practising Dietitian or sports dietitian.
Why does protein matter when you're injured?
Muscle is lost fast when a limb is rested or immobilised, particularly in the first one to two weeks. A review of nutrition for injured athletes explains that this happens because muscle protein building slows down and the muscle becomes less responsive to food, and that how much muscle is lost strongly influences how long rehabilitation takes. The authors conclude that maintaining or increasing daily protein intake can limit the loss of muscle and strength during recovery (Wall et al., European Journal of Sport Science, 2015).
How much protein do you need when injured?
There's no single agreed number for injury, but sports nutrition reviews generally suggest keeping protein at the higher end of the range for active people, rather than cutting back (Tipton, Sports Medicine, 2015). For context, a meta-analysis of 49 studies found that, in people doing resistance training, benefits to muscle gain levelled off at a total intake of about 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day (Morton et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018). For an 80 kg person, that's about 130 grams a day.
Should I eat less when I'm injured?
Your energy needs do fall a little if you're less active, but usually by less than people expect, and healing itself uses energy. Cutting food sharply can speed up muscle loss and slow recovery. A sensible approach is to reduce portions of energy-dense extras slightly if needed, while keeping protein, vegetables, fruit and whole foods up.
How should I spread protein through the day?
Spreading protein across meals appears to stimulate muscle building more consistently than having most of it at dinner. A practical target is a good serve of protein, roughly 20 to 40 grams depending on your size, at each of three or four meals. Breakfast is where most people fall short.
What foods are good sources of protein?
Meat, chicken, fish, eggs, milk, yoghurt and cheese are concentrated sources. Tofu, tempeh, lentils, chickpeas, beans, nuts and seeds contribute too, and combining a variety of plant sources through the day covers your needs. As a rough guide, a palm-sized piece of meat or fish, three eggs, or a tub of high-protein yoghurt each provide around 20 to 30 grams.
Do I need protein powder?
No. Protein powder is simply a convenient way to top up if you struggle to eat enough from food. It isn't superior to food. If you use one, choose a product that has been independently batch-tested if you compete in a drug-tested sport.
Does protein help tendons and ligaments heal?
Adequate protein supports the repair of all tissues, but there's less direct research on tendons and ligaments than on muscle. What tendons and ligaments need most is the right loading through rehabilitation, with a diet that isn't short on energy or protein.
See our post on collagen supplements for tendons and joints.
Is more protein needed after surgery?
Surgery and a period in a brace or sling mean both healing demands and muscle disuse, so adequate protein and energy matter before and after an operation. Ask your surgeon or a dietitian for specific guidance, as needs vary with the procedure and your health.
Does protein matter more as you get older?
Yes. Older muscles are less responsive to protein and lose mass faster during inactivity, so getting enough protein at each meal, alongside strength exercise, becomes more important with age. The meta-analysis above found the effect of protein supplements on muscle gain declined with increasing age, which is one reason regular resistance training is so valuable.
Can you have too much protein?
For healthy people, intakes in the range discussed here are generally considered safe. People with kidney disease or other medical conditions should get individual advice from their doctor or dietitian before increasing protein.
What matters more than protein?
Rehabilitation exercise. Protein supports muscle, but it's loading the muscle that tells your body to keep it. Even with an injured limb, you can usually train the rest of your body, and start gentle, guided loading of the injured area early.
How can an osteopath help?
We assess the injury, plan your rehabilitation, and help you keep training around it so you lose as little strength and fitness as possible. For detailed dietary planning we'll point you to a dietitian.
See our posts on creatine during rehab and returning to sport after injury, or our training hub. Book an assessment at our Berwick clinic. A 60-minute initial consultation is $149, with no referral needed and HICAPS on-site.
Sources
Tipton KD. Nutritional support for exercise-induced injuries. Sports Medicine, 2015.
Book an initial consultation at RISE Sports & Spinal in Berwick. Clear diagnosis, hands-on treatment, and a plan that actually gets you better.
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