FOR SPORTS MEDICINE SURGEONS

Accelerate Return to Play.

A targeted perioperative nutritional protocol to preserve muscle volume, support ligamentisation, and accelerate rehabilitation after sports injuries.

The Clinical Challenge

Sports surgeries (ACL reconstruction, meniscal repair) are characterised by rapid, profound muscle atrophy. Arthrogenic muscle inhibition (AMI) and disuse lead to significant localised catabolism.1

30%
loss of quadriceps volume can occur within the first two weeks post-ACL reconstruction.2
↓
Persistent quadriceps weakness is the primary barrier to return to play.3

This rapid muscle degradation compromises joint stability and significantly delays the rehabilitation timeline. For the athlete, this translates to a harder, longer road back to peak performance.4

Combating Atrophy

Surgical trauma and immobilisation induce severe anabolic resistance. Standard dietary protein is insufficient to overcome this. High-dose, leucine-enriched EAAs are required to support mTORC1 pathway activity, preserving critical muscle volume during acute immobilisation.5

The Rebound Protocol

Rebound is a physician-formulated, three-phase perioperative nutrition protocol designed to optimise surgical outcomes and accelerate athlete recovery in sports medicine.

Rebound READY (Pre-op)

Attenuates surgical insulin resistance, ensuring the athlete enters surgery in an anabolic state, which is critical for minimising early postoperative catabolism.1,2

Rebound RECOVER (Post-op)

Delivers a high-leucine EAA complex to support mTORC1 signalling, overcoming anabolic resistance to preserve muscle volume and strength during the acute immobilisation phase.3,4

Rebound RESTORE (Healing)

Supplies essential micronutrients (Vitamin C, Zinc, Copper) critical for collagen synthesis, supporting robust graft ligamentisation and tendon-to-bone healing.5

Clinical Integration

Rebound integrates into accelerated rehab protocols. The EAA complex (Recover) provides a powerful anabolic trigger, while the Restore phase provides the biological building blocks necessary for structural integrity.6

By mitigating surgical stress and delivering precise anabolic amino acids, Rebound supports athletes to engage more effectively in early physical therapy, driving better functional outcomes and a faster return to play.

Clinical Evidence

  1. Witard OC, Hughes AK, Morgan PT, et al. Protein-based perioperative nutrition interventions for improving muscle mass and functional outcomes following orthopaedic surgery. Exp Physiol. 2025 May 5;110(12):1802-1809. doi:10.1113/EP092237.
  2. George A, Holderread BM, Lambert BS, Harris JD, McCulloch PC. Post-operative protein supplementation following orthopaedic surgery: A systematic review. Sports Med Health Sci. 2024 Mar;6(1):16-24. doi:10.1016/j.smhs.2023.08.002.
  3. Hagiyama A, Yamamoto N, Watanabe J, et al. Efficacy of Protein and Essential Amino Acid Supplementation in Lower Limb Surgeries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Cureus. 2024 Sep 11;16(9):e69212. doi:10.7759/cureus.69212.
  4. Cordingley DM, Taheri M, Fasihiyan M, Woodmass JM, Cornish SM. Selected Nutrients to Oppose Muscle Disuse Following Arthroscopic Orthopedic Surgery: A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 2025 Apr 5;17(7):1273. doi:10.3390/nu17071273.
  5. Khani Y, Salmani A, Elahi M, et al. Peri-operative protein or amino acid supplementation for total joint arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Orthop Surg Res. 2025 May 2;20(1):439.
  6. Brown E, Mohler SA, Kviatkovsky SA, et al. Amino Acid Supplementation May Help Prevent Muscle Wasting After Orthopedic Surgery, But Additional Studies Are Warranted: A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials. HSS J. 2025;21(2):1308265. doi:10.1177/15563316241308265.
READY • RECOVER • RESTORE • THRIVE