Improving Patient Outcomes with Targeted Nutrition

Disclaimer: The writers and publishers of www.mangiarellirehabilitation.com are not nutritionists or registered dietitians. All nutrition information presented and written within www.mangiarellirehabilitation.com is intended for informational purposes only. Each individual’s dietary needs and restrictions are unique to the individual. You are ultimately responsible for all decisions pertaining to your health. Nutritional information in this blog post cites reputable research and experts in the field of nutrition. 

As we celebrate National Nutrition Month this March, we at Mangiarelli Rehabilitation recognize the role that nutrition can play in our patient’s recovery and rehabilitation outcomes. Nutrition can play a pivotal role in the body’s healing process, contribute to the development and management of certain chronic conditions, and either enhance or hinder a patient’s recovery from a musculoskeletal injury. Adequate nutrition during rehabilitation can help to control inflammation, provide the necessary nutrients to rebuild and restore injured tissue, decrease the risk of muscle atrophy, and preserve muscle strength.

Combining Physical Therapy with Nutrition Education

As physical therapists, we consider all possible contributors to a patient’s condition and their recovery, which includes nutrition. Nutrition can play a pivotal role in the healing process after an injury or surgery, contribute to the development and management of certain conditions physical therapists treat, and either enhance or hinder a patient’s recovery from a musculoskeletal injury. While it is not within the scope of practice of physical therapists to prescribe nutritional plans, physical therapists can provide general nutrition education to help patients during their recovery.

Implementing optimal nutritional strategies along with therapeutic exercise and physical therapy treatments can help patients manage pain and inflammation more effectively, rebuild strength and mobility, accelerate the healing process, and improve the patient’s outcomes.

How Nutrition Influences Patient Health & Outcomes

A patient’s nutrition not only can affect the healing and rebuilding of injured muscles and joints but also contributes to the levels of inflammation and pain in the body. A patient’s diet can also contribute to the development of chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease that can affect mobility, function, and strength.

A diet high in processed foods, sugar, and refined carbohydrates can contribute to the development of chronic conditions and susceptibility to muscular and joint injury. Low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress in the body due to poor nutrition underlie chronic osteoarthritis and research has shown that high-sugar, high-salt diets only worsen the effects of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and Type 1 diabetes. Such a diet also contributes to the development of insulin resistance, which negatively affects the transport of glucose into the muscles for energy. This negatively affects a patient’s mobility, endurance, and neuromotor skills over the long term.

Highly processed, fatty foods also cause oxidative damage to the cells lining blood vessels, which decreases blood flow throughout the body. Limit foods like processed meats like hot dogs, candy, sugary drinks like pop, and packaged carbohydrates like twinkies or fast food.

Eating a whole-food, nutrient-rich diet, however, can decrease inflammation and oxidative stress in the body, improve insulin resistance, and support the body’s function. Nutrition experts recommend eating lean proteins, fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and whole grains to promote optimal health and recovery. These foods are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that are essential for tissue repair, joint health, and overall optimal function in the body.

Lean proteins to incorporate include salmon, chicken, eggs, tuna, and lean beef. Eat complex carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, quinoa, corn, peas, and fruit like apples, oranges, and berries. Healthy fats full of omega-3 fatty acids include walnuts, salmon, sardines, avocados, and extra virgin olive oil. Eat fiber-rich foods like leafy greens, broccoli, lentils, and legumes.

How to Use Nutrition to Enhance Recovery

Adequate nutrition during recovery from an injury or surgery can help to control inflammation, provide the necessary nutrients to rebuild and restore injured tissue, decrease the risk of muscle atrophy, and preserve muscle strength. A common misconception patients have during recovery from an injury or surgery is that they should eat fewer calories due to forced inactivity from the injury or surgery.

However, limiting calories during recovery can in fact prolong the rehabilitation process and decrease protein stores, which limits the body’s ability to repair and heal muscle tissue after injury. After an injury or surgery, our metabolism actually spikes in order to aid the healing process with our metabolic rate increasing by 15-20%. Eating too few calories can accelerate muscle atrophy and make it more difficult to rebuild strength and muscle. It is essential to eat enough calories and protein to help build and repair muscle.

During the initial inflammatory phase of recovery, it’s important to prevent excess inflammation which can impair blood flow and inhibit healing. While inflammation is a necessary response to injury in the body to heal and trigger the repair process, excess inflammation can be damaging. During this period of recovery, incorporate healthy fats (olive oil, avocados, walnuts, almonds), limit omega-6 fatty acids in fried foods and vegetable oils, and increase intake of fruits and vegetables like broccoli, citrus fruits, garlic, and berries.

During the proliferation and remodeling phases of recovery, it’s important to prevent muscle atrophy and promote soft tissue repair for a return to function. In the proliferation stage, damaged tissues are removed and new blood supply and temporary connective tissue are built. In the remodeling phase, the body builds stronger permanent tissues for complete healing in the area. During this phase, maintain a diet of healthy fats, whole grains, vegetables, and fruits; it is critical to eat sufficient lean protein to support muscle repair and rebuilding.

Nutrition can play a role in your healing and recovery during rehabilitation after an injury or surgery. Combining optimal nutrition via a whole-food, nutrient-rich diet with physical therapy can help you accelerate your healing process and regain strength and function more quickly.