The Importance of Ligament Health

 

Ligaments are short bands of tough, flexible tissue, made up of lots of individual fibres, which connect the bones of the body together. Ligaments can be found connecting most of the bones in the body. The function of a ligament is to provide a passive limit to the amount of movement between your bones. The human body has approximately 900 ligaments.

Ligaments are specialized connective tissues with very interesting biomechanical properties. The basic building blocks of a ligament are collagen fibers. These fibers are very strong, flexible, and resistant to damage from pulling or compressing stresses. Collagen fibers are usually arranged in parallel bundles, which help multiply the strength of the individual fibers. The bundles of collagen are attached to the outer covering that surrounds all bones, the periosteum. They have the ability to adapt to the complex functions that each is required to perform. They are in fact responsive to many local and systemic factors that influence their function. Injury to a ligament results in a drastic change in its structure and physiology and ligament function is restored by the formation of scar tissue that is biologically and biomechanically inferior to the tissue it replaces.

The most common torn ligaments are knee ligaments and ankle ligaments. This is because the joints are weight-bearing and under high stress with any change of direction sports or full contact sports. The shoulder, being inherently unstable, also has a high chance of ligament injuries.

When it comes to sports and athletics, ligament injuries are an unfortunate part of the game. However, no one likes to be sidelined for longer than necessary. Fortunately, certain foods and supplements may help reduce the amount of time your body needs to recover from a sports injury. These foods and supplements should be considered adding to your diet to help recover from an ligament injury more quickly.

Protein-Rich Foods: Eating protein-rich foods at every meal and snack may help prevent muscle loss following an injury. Protein-rich foods may also help you regain ligament mass faster once you return to training.

Fiber-Rich Foods: Consuming fiber-rich foods while recovering from an injury can be an effective strategy to limit the gain of unwanted body fat thus putting less strain on the injured ligaments.

Fruits and Vegetables Rich in Vitamin C: Vitamin-C rich foods can help your body produce the collagen that’s required to rebuild the ligament tissue after an injury. It can also help prevent excessive inflammation from slowing down your recovery.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Foods rich in omega-3 fats may help speed up your recovery by limiting excessive or prolonged inflammation. Limiting your intake of omega-6 fats can also be helpful.

Zinc-Rich Foods: Regularly consuming zinc-rich foods can help speed up wound healing and ligament repair and growth.

Vitamin D and Calcium-Rich Foods: Eating enough calcium-rich foods is necessary for proper recovery from fractures and tissue injuries. Getting enough vitamin D can also help.

When it comes to recovering from an injury, many elements come into play. While not all of them are under your influence, one factor you can control is the nutrients you provide your body. Therefore, regularly consuming the foods and supplements mentioned in this article is one way you can speed up your recovery.