How Nutrition Can Prevent Injury And Recovery In Cricketers

When glucose is not replaced quickly, cells become dehydrated and do not receive the nutrition they require. All nutrients are best friends with water, and glucose is necessary for them to reach the cells...

- Ryan Fernando

One of the Indian cricket team opening batsmen and my client got injured during a Test match in South Africa. He called me urgently and shared the details of his injury. The team doctor said it would take him 12-14 weeks to recover and play. For the player, it meant missing out on the next tour and the probability of losing the place in the team. We started his nutrition therapy immediately, and he was back by the 8th week.

An athlete sustains an injury as a result of the body’s cells being stressed. These cells have a reservoir of energy. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats act as energy stores. In simple terms, nutrition drives your cells.

The cellular substance, of which water is a vital component, is responsible for most of a cell’s structure. So, as a sports nutritionist, for me, hydration is key.

Electrolytes are required by muscles because they aid in muscular contraction and relaxation. When an athlete is dehydrated, muscles become tense as this signal goes haywire. When a muscle is stiff, and you continue to do exercises, you risk pushing the muscle beyond its comfort zone.

It is critical that athletes provide nourishment to the body as soon as they complete exercise/training.

There is a recovery window of 1 to 3 hours; for example, muscle glycogen is non-insulin recoverable in the first hour, so within half an hour of ending your workout/training, it is imperative that athlete replenish glucose levels (equivalent to the bodyweight). Caffeine aids in the rapid regeneration of glycogen.