Having shoulder surgery wasn't exactly on my list of things to achieve in 2024, but I’m extremely grateful for the chicken wing to be on the road to recovery.
The injury: 90% near complete full thickness tear of supraspinatus tendon (rotator cuff) as well as years of wear and tear from contact sports (bicep tendon in a bit of a pickle, inflammation, scar tissue, bursitis… all that good stuff).
What I didn’t expect when I came round from surgery with a throbbing hand and a log for an arm (can thank the nerve block for that treat), was to be told they hadn’t needed to repair my rotator cuff at all, like not even a little bit!
Apparently they’d had to double check my MRI in theatre, because I had in fact completely healed that tendon, we’re talking reattached to the bone, no loose ends, good as new.
I still had to have some of the more chronic wear and tear sorted. Bicep tendon is now pinned down with a button so the gun show is on hold, but the healed rotator cuff meant I halved my recovery time, and could get straight into my rehab rather than prolonged immobilisation.
And the REALLY cool part is, I’d only been resting that arm in the run up to surgery, there was no radical rehab routine involved.
I had literally healed my body from the inside out with NUTRITION.
Here’s how I did it….
In the 8 weeks leading up to surgery:
I religiously consumed a minimum of 105g of protein per day ( 2g of protein per kg of bodyweight). My main sources of protein (your building blocks for soft tissue) were turkey, chicken, beef, lamb, salmon and tuna. Unpopular opinion: you will struggle to get all the protein you need to heal an injury on a plant based diet, it’s doable, but it’s probably going to include a lot of farty protein shakes.
My protein intake included 10-20g of bovine collagen protein per day. I did include some bone broth, but honestly it was just easier to get collagen from a concentrated powder which I chucked into berry shakes. Collagen protein is foundational to building healthy connective tissues (as we age, our ability to build collagen decreases). I use bovine collagen (from cattle joints) in peptide form (for optimal absorption). You’ll also have seen marine collagen advertised (derived from fish scales), but this only contains type 1 collagen, whereas bovine contains type 1 and 3 which is optimal for tendon and muscle repair.
I ate between 150-300g berries per day (no I did not shit my pants). This provided me with ample antioxidants to reduce the inflammation in the torn tendon.
I got most of my carbs from fruit and veggies. This allowed me to include plenty of food sources of potassium (eg sweet potato, beetroot, bananas) and magnesium (avocados, bananas, leafy greens). Both of these minerals have been found to speed up healing in the body. I also included plenty of kiwi fruit and pineapple, these are high in bromelain. This proteolytic enzyme supports tendon repair by encouraging rapid reproduction of tendon cells. You can also supplement with proteolytic enzymes between meals for this benefit too.
I also included some seeded bread (this is my fave, note this 100% needs toasting). This nutrient dense bread is packed full of seeds, including linseeds (flax) and pumpkin seeds, which are also great sources of magnesium.
As well as the flax in this bread I also included bodyme bars, partly to meet my protein goals without consuming a shit tonne of unrecognisable ingredients, but also because they also include hemp and chia seeds which are great sources of your essential fatty acids (fats we can’t make in the body). These fats have also been found to help reduce inflammation in tendons.
Fluids wise, I stayed on top of hydration with a minimum of 1600 ml of water per day (that’s 30ml per kg of bodyweight = nutrients delivered on tap to the injured site) and also included beetroot juice (rich source of nitrates = improved blood supply to the injury)
Ok this next one might not be popular, but I also completely gave up alcohol. I hadn’t been drinking much this year, 2 - 4 drinks at the weekend but even this is enough to cause inflammation and hinder healing. I’m 55 days without booze and will continue until my new shoulder is fully healed.
I didn’t purposefully add in any extra supplements, but continued my usual: ashwagandha, magnesium, B vitamin complex and iron.
I take magnesium at night, which, as well as helping with healing, is a key mineral for muscle relaxation. This helped me to relax the supporting muscles of my shoulder girdle (these were on high alert whilst compensating for the rotator cuff tear).
Ashwagandha is also part of my nightly routine to support sleep, so this, combined with magnesium, helped to reduce restless sleep when it was uncomfortable. Ashwagandha has also been found to reduce inflammation so a win win for healing. Side note: if you’ve been following my work for a while, you’ll know that ashwagandha is also my go-to for adrenal support and consequently overall hormonal balance.
Iron, which I normally just take around menstruation, also contributes to cell growth and repair, so I increased this to a daily dose.
And lastly there is some interesting research around B12 deficiency and degenerative rotator cuff tears. You’ll find it in any good quality B vitamin complex, or you can take it separately under the tongue (for optimal absorption).
I know that might sound like a lot of hacks/tweaks, but actually, aside from alcohol, I made no major restrictions. Instead I just placed the emphasis on adding in more of the good stuff (which will always mean there is less room for not so great stuff).
And am I still following these nutrition hacks??
For sure… I’ve got a bicep button thingy to heal now (bicep tendonesis for the surgical anatomy nerds among you).
Anyway, I hope you’ve found this article helpful and maybe there’s a couple of strategies you can implement for any injuries/niggles you’re currently nursing, or for the prevention of future injuries.
As always, any questions give me a shout!
Coach Harri
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The content in this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your health.