A Quiet Revolution in Sports Injury Recovery
In elite sport, injuries don’t just cost games — they cost careers.
That’s why, quietly and without hype, a simple protocol discovered in 2017 has spread through the inner circles of professional sport. It’s now used by elite runners, professional baseball players, and high-performance rehab teams to strengthen tendons, protect ligaments, and dramatically speed recovery.
The surprising part?
It isn’t expensive.
It isn’t complicated.
And it’s available to anyone.
At its core is something athletes have overlooked for decades: collagen — and how, when timed correctly, it can transform the body’s weakest links into its strongest assets.
Where Sports Injuries Really Begin
Most sports injuries don’t start in muscle.
They start in connective tissue — tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and bone. These tissues absorb force, transfer power, and stabilise joints. They also share one critical weakness:
👉 Poor blood supply
That’s why Achilles injuries linger.
Why plantar fasciitis becomes chronic.
Why stress fractures sideline runners for months.
Why ACL and tendon ruptures are so common in explosive sports.
Muscle heals fast.
Connective tissue does not.
Until now.
The Discovery That Changed Everything
In 2017, scientists developed a tissue-engineered model of human ligaments and tendons. When they enriched these tissues with amino acids found naturally in collagen — particularly glycine and proline — something remarkable happened.
The ligaments became stronger.
When vitamin C was added?
They became stronger still.
The researchers asked a simple but powerful question:
“If feeding collagen-building amino acids strengthens engineered ligaments… could it do the same in humans?”
To answer that, they went straight to the source.
Why Collagen Matters for Athletes
Collagen isn’t just another protein.
It is the primary structural protein in:
- Tendons
- Ligaments
- Cartilage
- Bone
- Fascia
And it contains amino acids most protein powders lack — especially glycine, which has been shown to rapidly remodel connective tissue and increase tendon resistance to mechanical stress.
In fact, studies have shown the Achilles tendon becomes more resistant to loading when treated with glycine, helping it tolerate repeated impact without breaking down .
That’s when researchers turned to gelatin and hydrolysed collagen — the richest natural sources of these exact amino acids.
Dr Keith Baar’s Groundbreaking Athlete Study
The real breakthrough came when Dr Keith Baar, PhD, Professor at the University of California, led a randomised clinical trial in elite athletes recovering from injury.
Athletes were split into three groups:
- Placebo
- 5g gelatin
- 15g gelatin
Blood samples showed collagen-building amino acids peaked one hour after ingestion.
When that blood was fed into engineered ligaments, the results were clear:
- 5g produced more collagen than placebo
- 15g produced significantly more collagen
- The ligaments were mechanically stronger
Then came the key insight.
Why 6 Minutes of Exercise Makes All the Difference
After ingesting collagen, athletes performed just six minutes of targeted exercise — such as jump rope.
Why six minutes?
Dr Baar explains:
“Most connective tissue cells stop responding to exercise after about five or six minutes.”
That short loading window triggers collagen synthesis — then shuts off.
When collagen intake was paired with this brief exercise bout:
- Collagen synthesis doubled
- At 15g, it doubled again
- Much of this new collagen was built into bone and connective tissue, not muscle
This is now known as the collagen loading protocol.
How the Protocol Targets Injuries Where They Actually Occur
Unlike muscle, tendons and ligaments don’t “drink” nutrients from the bloodstream.
They behave like a sponge.
When loaded:
- Fluid is squeezed out
- When unloaded, it rushes back in — carrying nutrients with it
This means timing is everything.
By taking hydrolysed collagen one hour before loading, athletes flood the bloodstream with amino acids and collagen peptides — then use movement to literally pull those nutrients into injured or vulnerable tissue.
As Dr Baar explains:
“You’re targeting your nutrients just to those specific areas that need to recover — and you can really decrease recovery time.”
From Rehab to Injury Prevention
What began as a rehab protocol quickly became a preventative strategy.
Today:
- Pitchers load elbow and shoulder tendons before practice
- Runners jump rope to protect the Achilles, plantar fascia, and tibia
- Athletes with a history of stress fractures use it year-round
The goal isn’t just healing — it’s making tissue stronger than before.
Why CollagenX Is Different
Not all collagen is created equal.
To support this protocol, collagen must be:
- Hydrolysed for rapid absorption
- High in glycine and proline
- Free from additives that impair connective tissue health
- Tested for purity and bioavailability
CollagenX Hydrolysed Collagen is trusted by athletes because it delivers:
- Exceptionally high collagen peptide concentration
- Fast absorption at the one-hour peak
- No fillers, emulsifiers, or inflammatory additives
When timing matters, purity matters.
Who This Protocol Is For
This approach is ideal for:
- Runners with Achilles or plantar fasciitis issues
- Athletes recovering from stress fractures
- Sports involving jumping, sprinting, or change of direction
- Anyone with chronic tendon or ligament pain
- Athletes over 30 noticing slower recovery
If you rely on your body to perform, this protocol isn’t optional — it’s foundational.
Summary: A Simple Shift That Changes Everything
This isn’t hype.
It’s not a shortcut.
And it’s not new.
It’s a smarter way to work with your body’s biology.
By pairing 15g of high-quality hydrolysed collagen with six minutes of targeted loading, athletes are:
- Preventing injuries before they start
- Healing connective tissue faster
- Returning to sport stronger than before
And the best part?
You don’t need elite facilities to use it.
Just the right collagen — at the right time.
Author: Matt Hough – Director & Co-Founder of CollagenX
Matt Hough is a renowned researcher and innovator in the field of collagen science, serving as the Chief Researcher at CollagenX, one of Australia’s leading collagen brands. With over a decade of experience in scientific research and a passion for wellness, Matt has become a key figure in advancing the understanding and application of collagen in both skincare and overall health.
With a firm belief in the potential of collagen to improve quality of life, Matt’s work at CollagenX is driven by a commitment to producing scientifically-backed solutions that empower individuals to look and feel their best at any age.