Nutrition

Nutrition 229: Nutritional Management of Sports Injuries | 2 CE Hours

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Clinical sports injury nutrition diagram showing three-phase soft tissue healing timeline (inflammation, proliferation, remodeling), protein and leucine intake chart for muscle preservation, collagen-vitamin C supplementation protocol, omega-3 anti-inflammatory pathway, and creatine loading schedule for athlete recovery — Nutrition 229 chiropractic CE course.
Online Course Format:  Online
Course Tuition:   $40.00
Credit Hours ( CE ):  2
Contributor:  Howard Benedikt, DC, DCBCN
CLICK HERE for a list of states, provinces and countries this course is accredited in.

Online Chiropractic CE Course Description & Course Details

Nutritional Management of Sports Injuries

Course Number: Nutrition 229  |  Course ID: 692

2 CE Hours Online Self-Study $40 PACE / Board-Approved
Enroll Now — $40

Course Overview

Sports injuries represent one of the most clinically demanding challenges in chiropractic practice, and nutrition is an underutilized but evidence-backed lever for accelerating recovery. Nutrition 229: Nutritional Management of Sports Injuries provides chiropractors and sports health practitioners with a structured, clinically applicable framework for integrating targeted nutrition and supplementation into injury rehabilitation protocols.

This 2-hour online CE course moves through the biological stages of soft tissue healing — inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling — and maps specific nutritional interventions to each phase. Clinicians will learn how to calculate protein and caloric needs to protect lean mass during immobilization, identify the critical role of micronutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, and magnesium in tissue repair, and apply evidence-based supplementation strategies including collagen/gelatin, omega-3 fatty acids, creatine, and CoQ10.

Designed for practicing chiropractors who treat active patients and athletes, this course bridges sports chiropractic and clinical nutrition to help reduce recovery time, minimize muscle atrophy, and support return-to-play outcomes. Approved via Texas Chiropractic College PACE program and accepted by most state chiropractic boards. Check your state CE guidelines for eligibility.

Course Outline

  1. The Three Phases of Soft Tissue Healing: Inflammation, Proliferation, and Remodeling — understanding the biology that governs nutritional timing and strategy
  2. Protein, Leucine, and Energy Requirements During Injury Recovery — preventing muscle loss, calculating intake adjustments for immobilized athletes
  3. Key Micronutrients: Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Zinc, Magnesium, and Omega-3 Fatty Acids — mechanisms of action and clinical dosing in injury recovery
  4. Collagen, Gelatin, and Connective Tissue Support — evidence for proline precursors, vitamin C co-supplementation, and tendon/ligament repair protocols
  5. Supplementation Protocols: Creatine, CoQ10, and Anti-Inflammatory Strategies for Athlete Recovery — clinical timing, dosing, and integration with chiropractic care

Learning Objectives

Upon completing this course, chiropractors will be able to:

  • Identify the three phases of soft tissue healing and their distinct nutritional requirements
  • Develop protein and caloric strategies to minimize muscle loss during injury immobilization
  • Apply evidence-based supplementation for connective tissue repair in chiropractic patients
  • Integrate nutritional management as a complement to chiropractic sports injury care

About the Instructor

Dr. Howard Benedikt, DC, DCBCN

Dr. Benedikt is President of the Chiropractic Board of Clinical Nutrition and a Board-Certified Chiropractic Clinical Nutritionist with over 46 years in practice. He holds a Master of Science in Human Nutrition from C.W. Post/Long Island University and serves as Lead Clinical Nutrition Faculty at CCEDseminars. His courses are PACE-approved via Texas Chiropractic College. Dr. Benedikt is an adjunct instructor at NY Chiropractic College and Berkeley College NY, and maintains an active clinical practice in midtown Manhattan.

View Full Faculty Profile →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does sports injury nutrition cover in a chiropractic CE context?

Sports injury nutrition for chiropractors focuses on how macronutrients and micronutrients support the body's three-phase soft tissue healing response. This course covers protein and leucine dosing to preserve lean mass, the anti-inflammatory role of omega-3 fatty acids, and targeted supplementation — including collagen, creatine, and vitamin C — to accelerate connective tissue repair in active patients.

How much protein does an injured athlete need during immobilization?

Evidence suggests injured and immobilized athletes require higher protein intakes — often 1.6–2.5 g/kg body weight per day — to counteract disuse atrophy. Leucine-rich protein sources and leucine supplementation are particularly important for triggering muscle protein synthesis when mechanical loading is absent. This course provides practical intake guidelines and clinical strategies covered in the module on protein and energy requirements during injury recovery.

Does collagen supplementation help with tendon and ligament repair?

Yes. Hydrolyzed collagen and gelatin — taken with vitamin C prior to loading exercise — have been shown to increase collagen synthesis in tendons and ligaments. The vitamin C cofactor is essential for hydroxylation of proline and lysine during collagen fibril formation. This course reviews the current evidence on timing, dose, and form of collagen supplementation for musculoskeletal injury recovery in clinical chiropractic practice.

Is this course approved for chiropractic CE credit in my state?

Nutrition 229 is PACE-approved through Texas Chiropractic College and is accepted for continuing education credit by most state chiropractic licensing boards. CCEDseminars provides a certificate of completion upon finishing the online exam. Visit the state CE guidelines page to confirm acceptance in your state.

Related Resources

Watch a Course Preview on YouTube

See Dr. Benedikt introduce the nutritional framework for sports injury recovery before you enroll.

  Watch on YouTube

References

  1. Papadopoulou SK. "Rehabilitation Nutrition for Injury Recovery of Athletes: The Role of Macronutrient Intake." Nutrients. 2020;12(8):2449. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7468744/
  2. Morán-Navarro R, et al. "Nutritional Strategies in the Rehabilitation of Musculoskeletal Injuries in Athletes: A Systematic Integrative Review." Nutrients. 2023;15(4):819. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9965375/
  3. Shaw G, et al. "Training and Nutrition to Prevent Soft Tissue Injuries and Accelerate Return to Play." Sports Science Exchange. Gatorade Sports Science Institute. https://www.gssiweb.org/sports-science-exchange/article/sse-142-training-and-nutrition-to-prevent-soft-tissue-injuries-and-accelerate-return-to-play
  4. Tipton KD. "Nutritional approaches applied to recovery of skeletal muscle injury in athletes." British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39287583/
This online chiropractic course is accredited in the following states:

Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District Of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming,

This online chiropractic course is accredited in the following Canadian Provinces:

British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Yukon,

This online chiropractic course is accredited in the following regions outside the United States & Canada:

Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Belgium, Bolivia, Cayman Islands, Chili, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Fiji, Finland, Germany, Greece, Guam, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Mexico, Nambia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Venezuela, Virgin Island, Zimbabwe,