Research
Macro partitioning
Increasing dietary protein to 2.3 g/kg body mass during energy restriction helps attenuate the loss of lean body mass in injured athletes.
If you are injured and need to reduce calories to avoid gaining fat, do not cut protein. Instead, increase your protein intake to 2.3 grams per kilogram of body weight daily. This helps protect your muscle mass while you heal.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
In terms of an absolute amount of protein per day, increasing protein to 2.3 g/kg body mass reduces the loss of lean body mass (LBM) during reduced calorie intake (Mettler et al., 2010), a strategy that could also prove useful for the injured athlete.
Why this rating
Based on a study in energy-restricted individuals, not specifically injured athletes, but extrapolated as useful.
Source
Nutrition for the Prevention and Treatment of Injuries in Track and Field Athletes
Graeme L. Close et al. · International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism · 2019
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