Running farther and faster. Building stronger muscles. Improving flexibility and stamina. These are just some of the common goals athletes typically want to meet.
Nutrition is a key component to meeting such goals. Your body is depending on you to supply it with the necessary raw materials to conduct its countless everyday functions. The more you demand from it, the more careful you must be about your nutritional strategies. In fact, many athletes must take in between 2,700 and 3,000 calories per day to keep their bodies properly fueled. Read on to learn more about this vital connection between nutrition and athletic performance and how physical therapists can help you achieve your performance goals.
The types of nutrients you need for better athletic performance
Your car won’t run properly without gas — but neither will it run properly, or at all, if you feed it nothing other than gas. Cars also require oil, additives, electricity and other provisions for smooth, consistent operation. Your body isn’t much different from a car. It needs a mix of several different types of nutrients to function properly, especially if you’re trying to boost athletic performance.
The nutrients your body needs are grouped into two primary categories:
- Macronutrients – Macronutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fiber and water. The first three of these are directly involved in providing the body with energy. The body uses carbs first for energy. This is because they burn most readily, making them an important fuel for both short-burst activities and endurance training. Proteins, which are made up of 20 essential amino acids, are the building blocks of muscle. Fats are stored as a reserve fuel supply. They’re also involved in everything from brain health and inflammation management to hormone production and joint lubrication.
- Micronutrients – When physical therapists mention micronutrients, they’re talking about vitamins and minerals. Some minerals regulate each other’s actions (such as sodium paired with potassium, or calcium and magnesium). The body also requires trace elements such as copper, selenium and chromium. Among the vitamins, athletes flock to B- vitamins because of their ability to increase energy availability. But a mix of vitamins A, C, E, K and others is also needed to keep one’s body functioning.
Nutrition is a key part of a physical therapy plan to boost athletic performance
The wrong nutritional balances can sabotage your athletic performance in all kinds of ways. If you don’t eat enough carbs before an endurance event, your body may start burning fat as fuel. In turn, this can lead to lower energy levels while you’re running.
Your physical therapist can help you develop a nutrition plan designed to:
- Increase the strength of bones and muscles
- Improve your hydration and water recovery
- Reduce post-play inflammation
- Improve your ability to heal
- Raise your energy levels and stamina during competition
Looking to boost your athletic performance? Border Therapy Services can help
Are you looking to give your body what it needs to reach the peak of athletic performance? Our team at Border Therapy Services is ready and willing to help. We offer free screenings that can reveal issues that are reducing your athletic ability. Our team also excels at building personalized training programs intended to boost your performance.
Want to get help from home? No problem! We offer virtual care and at-home therapy that can help you get physical therapy from your own home. Even better, you can start boosting your performance with our services without first getting a doctor’s referral
Contact us today for more information about our therapy services or to schedule an initial appointment.