FSHP Academy
Sports Nutrition — all lessons

Module 1: Foundations of Sports Nutrition

Energy systems and metabolism for nutritionMacronutrients and athletic performanceMicronutrients and hydration essentials

Module 2: Nutrition for Training & Competition

Pre-, intra- and post-workout nutrition strategiesFuelling for endurance vs strength/power sportsCompetition-day meal planning

Module 3: Body Composition & Weight Management

Balancing muscle gain and fat lossSafe weight-cutting practices for athletesNutrition for injury prevention and recoveryEnergy availability and RED-S

Module 4: Supplements & Ergogenic Aids

Evidence-based supplements (creatine, caffeine and others)Avoiding banned substances and doping risks

Module 5: Practical Applications

Creating individualised nutrition plansSports nutrition case studies

Nutrition for injury prevention and recovery

How energy, protein and specific nutrients support recovery from injury and immobilisation, and what the evidence says about popular supplements.

Advanced Evidence: Emerging evidence 3 min read Reviewed 2026-10-31 Status: draft

Learning objectives

  • Explain energy needs during injury and immobilisation
  • Set protein targets to limit muscle loss
  • Evaluate evidence on collagen, omega-3, creatine and vitamin D
  • Recognise nutrition’s role in bone stress injury prevention

Before this lesson

Why this matters

Injured athletes often cut food intake because they train less, accelerating muscle loss. Good nutrition supports healing and protects condition for return to play.

Energy

Healing raises energy needs, and crutch walking increases the cost of movement. Severe energy restriction during injury worsens muscle loss [tipton2015]. Aim to match intake to needs; avoid “dieting while injured” unless body-composition goals are planned with a dietitian.

Protein

Immobilisation causes rapid muscle loss. Tipton suggests protein intakes of ~1.6–2.5 g/kg/day, spread across meals, during injury recovery [tipton2015] [jager2017].

Specific nutrients (evidence status)

NutrientProposed roleEvidence
Collagen + vitamin C before rehab sessionsCollagen synthesis in tendons/ligamentsEmerging
Omega-3 fatty acidsInflammation modulation, muscle retentionEmerging
CreatineLimit muscle and strength lossEmerging/moderate
Vitamin D, calciumBone healthSupported for deficiency

Bone stress injury prevention

Low energy availability, low calcium and vitamin D are associated with bone stress injuries; the IOC REDs consensus emphasises adequate energy availability [mountjoy2023].

Common mistakes and misconceptions

Case study

A footballer after ACL reconstruction reduces food intake by half and loses 3 kg — mostly muscle — in four weeks. A revised plan with 2 g/kg protein, adequate energy and regular meals stabilises body mass while rehabilitation progresses.

Further learning: video lessons

Video links are only marked “verified” after a human has watched them. Unverified entries open a YouTube search for that channel and topic rather than a guessed link.

Introductory needs verification — opens a YouTube search

Nutrition for injury recovery

sports dietitians (search)

You will understand: energy and protein during injury

Why: Practical.
Technical needs verification — opens a YouTube search

Collagen and tendon health — the evidence

sports science educators (search)

You will understand: what studies show

Why: Critical evaluation.

Knowledge check

Knowledge check · 0/5

1. During immobilisation, severely cutting energy intake…

Answer B. Energy deficit adds to disuse atrophy.

2. Tipton (2015) suggests protein during injury recovery of about…

Answer B. Higher protein helps maintain muscle.

3. The evidence for collagen supplementation in tendon healing is best described as…

Answer B. Early studies are promising but limited.

4. Which factor is associated with bone stress injuries in athletes?

Answer B. REDs consensus links LEA to bone health problems.

5. Healing requires…

Answer B. Tissue repair has an energy cost.

Short-answer & application questions

  1. Plan nutrition for an athlete in a knee brace for 6 weeks.
  2. Critically appraise a collagen supplement’s marketing claims.
  3. How would you screen for bone-stress risk factors?

Key takeaways

  • Energy needs during injury are often not as low as assumed; under-eating accelerates muscle loss.
  • High protein intake (~1.6–2.5 g/kg/day) helps limit muscle loss during immobilisation.
  • Evidence for collagen, omega-3 and creatine in injury recovery is promising but still emerging.
  • Low energy availability, calcium and vitamin D status are linked to bone stress injury risk.

Connected topics

prehab rehab

Understanding pain science and tissue healing

sports nutrition

Energy availability and RED-S

anatomy

Bone structure, remodelling and adaptation to loading

This is the canonical lesson for: Lifestyle Nutrition → Weight Management & Body Composition

References

  1. Tipton KD (2015). Nutritional support for exercise-induced injuries. Sports Medicine, 45(Suppl 1):S93–S104. Narrative review check pending
  2. Mountjoy M, Ackerman KE, Bailey DM, et al. (2023). 2023 International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) consensus statement on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs). British Journal of Sports Medicine, 57(17):1073–1097. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2023-106994 Guideline check pending
  3. Jäger R, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14:20. doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8 Position stand check pending

Educational content only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified clinician for diagnosis or treatment.