As physical therapists it is our job to consider all potential contributors to a patient’s recovery. While we do a great job of accounting for the physical components of rehabilitation, such as strength, flexibility and prior level of function, we often overlook the importance of a less obvious component: nutrition. Nutrition plays a pivotal role in the healing process and can either enhance or hinder a patient’s recovery from musculoskeletal injury. While it is not in our scope of practice to design nutritional plans, we should possess a baseline knowledge of nutritional influences in musculoskeletal healing. Physical therapists have arguably more contact with patients than any other healthcare provider throughout the recovery process. We are therefore in a great place to remind our patients of the importance of adequate nutrition.
Role of Nutrition in Physiotherapy
Professional therapists consider every potential contributor to a patient’s recovery. As they do a perfect job o accounting for the physical elements of rehabilitation like strength, flexibility and level of function, we often forget the importance of a less obvious element: nutrition.
Nutrition plays an important role in the process of healing and can improve a patient’s recovery from musculoskeletal injury. While it’s not in the hands of a therapist to create a nutritional plan, they have the basic knowledge of nutritional value in musculoskeletal healing. Physical therapists have a lot more contact with the patent apart from any other healthcare provider throughout the process of recovery.
They are in a great position to remind their patients of the importance of proper nutrition.
Benifit of Fitness Diet
The largest benefit of a great diet and regular exercise is the way it helps your body stave off diseases and other conditions. Your body’s immune system is a complex machine, and diet and exercise can heavily affect it. Too many of the wrong foods can put you at risk, but the right foods complemented by appropriate exercise can actually boost your body’s ability to fight disease.
Some of the diseases that a good diet and regular exercise can prevent include:
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Stroke
- Depression
- Several types of cancer
- Arthritis
Mood and Energy
Both diet and exercise, especially the latter, can have major effects on your mood. Chemicals in the brain called “endorphins” make you feel happy and positive, and these are triggered by most forms of exercise.
Diet can have many of the same effects, and there are indicators out there suggesting that proper diet and exercise are two major factors in overall mental health. Both help reduce stress and can increase brain activity. Endorphin stimulation can also help prevent depression and raise self-esteem.
Weight
Weight is one of the key factors involved in heart disease, high cholesterol or blood pressure and several other conditions. What are the top two factors that influence weight? You got it, diet and exercise.
Sleep
Sleep issues are a concern for millions of people around the globe, and diet and exercise can influence your sleep habits. Exercise, in particular, can directly impact your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. It’s recommended that you don’t exercise heavily or eat right before bedtime, but proper habits in both areas can turn restless nights into comfortable ones.