Nutrition Support for Injury and Rehabilitation
Presented by Jennifer Ketterly
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Caring for the injured requires an interdisciplinary approach. A comprehensive understanding of the injury response and nutritional requirements helps support the healing process and improve function throughout rehabilitation. The injury response has a profound impact on nutrition requirements, which include calories, protein, vitamins, and minerals. The injured state changes fuel utilization and nutritional needs, particularly protein. Therefore, meeting energy needs and preserving lean body mass become a major focus. Losing lean body mass has implications on body composition, functional movement during rehab, and overall health and wellness. This course is part of a three-part series on inflammation, immunity, and injury designed to complement clinical care guidelines for physical and occupational therapists, athletic trainers, dietitians, nurses, and other allied health professionals.
Meet your instructor
Jennifer Ketterly
Jen Ketterly is the director of sports nutrition at the UNC Human Performance Center and an assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the UNC School of Medicine. She is also the sports dietitian for the NBA's Charlotte Hornets and the North Carolina Central University Athletic Department. She is a…
Chapters & learning objectives
1. Starvation and Energy Balance
Energy balance determines the positive or negative impacts on lean body mass and functionality during the injured state. Vitals to assess for physiological adaptations to starvation will be discussed. Since fuel utilization can dramatically shift in the underfueled body and ultimately impact treatment outcomes, the clinician should keep a keen eye on energy balance.
2. The Injury Response
The injured state is marked with hormonal features of the stress response. Hypermetabolism, inflammation, and immobility are all aspects during acute and chronic injury and rehabilitation that can be mitigated with nutrition engagement. Physiological changes exacerbate the loss of lean muscle mass during immobilized periods; therefore, preservation of muscle mass becomes a critical control point.
3. Nutrition Considerations for the Injury Response
Infection, soft-tissue injury, and bone injury have unique features causing vitamin and mineral needs to increase above the dietary reference intakes (DRIs). Those needing particular attention include vitamins C and D and the minerals iron and zinc. Other nutrition supplements such as omega-3 fatty acids and creatine can also be beneficial in controlling chronic inflammation while sensitizing the muscle to anabolic stimuli and preventing muscle protein breakdown.
