How to Use CBD for Sports Injuries – A Comprehensive guide

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Estimated reading time: 18 minutes

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Introduction

If you are a professional sportsperson or athlete and have an injury, it is imperative that you recuperate and mend as quickly as possibly. Opioids obtained through a doctor's prescription have traditionally been the go-to treatment for athletes and sportspeople.

When looking to help the symptoms of injury, including pain and inflammation. However, research show that a significant number of sportspeople have had to battle opioid addiction after. This is due to the fact that opioids have terrible side effects. CBD has emerged as a more reliable and non-addictive treatment alternative for athletes who have sustained injuries.

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What is CBD?

CBD, an abbreviated form of Cannabidiol. It is a component found in the oil of cannabis plant species such as hemp and marijuana. Cannabis plants are known to possess over 400 chemical compounds, among which at least 113 are cannabinoids. The healing properties of CBD are attributed to eighteen different chemical groups. Comprising amino acids, nitrogenous compounds, fatty acids, hydrocarbons, terpenes, and sugars. While the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis is Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), other cannabinoids also contribute to its pharmacological effects.

CBD can modify the psychoactive impacts of THC and make you feel less “high”

How does CBD work?

CBD affects the ECS by stopping anandamide, a chemical that helps control pain and mood, from breaking down. By doing this, CBD boosts the amount of anandamide in the body. This help reduce pain and inflammation and improve mood.

CBD also works with different receptors in the body, like the serotonin receptor, which helps control mood and nervousness. CBD has been found to have anxiolytic effects. This means that it may help lower anxiety and make people feel calmer.

CBD's effects on the body are still being studied. However, it seems to work by interacting with many different body processes in a complicated way.

Let's dig deeper into CBD for sports injuries. Read more about CBD for muscle spams here

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Benefits of CBD for sports injuries

CBD, or cannabidiol, has been researched for its potential therapeutic benefits. Some of the possible benefits of CBD include:

1. Pain relief: CBD may help reduce pain and inflammation by interacting with the body's endocannabinoid system.
2. Anxiety and depression. CBD has been found to have anxiolytic properties, which means it may help reduce anxiety and promote a sense of calm. Some studies suggest that it may also help with depression.
3. Neuroprotective effects. CBD has been found to have neuroprotective properties, meaning it may help protect the brain from damage and promote the growth of new neurons.
4. Cancer treatment. While research is still ongoing, some studies suggest that CBD may help alleviate symptoms associated with cancer and cancer treatment, such as pain and nausea. CBD for Cancer
5. Acne: CBD has been found to have anti-inflammatory properties, which may help reduce inflammation and acne.
6. Heart health: Some studies suggest that CBD may help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease.
7. Substance abuse treatment: CBD may help reduce symptoms associated with substance abuse, such as anxiety and cravings.

It's important to note that research on CBD is still ongoing. More studies are needed to fully understand its potential benefits and risks. Additionally, CBD is not a substitute for medical treatment, and anyone considers using CBD for therapeutic purposes should consult with a healthcare professional first.

Is CBD Legal for athletes?

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Most common sports injuries

Most sports injuries are sprains, strains, Achilles tendon tears, and other injuries that happen when a muscle or joint is overused.

Here are a few of the most common accidents in sports:

• Sprains: Most people who play sports get sprains, which are the most common type of injury. When one or more tendons are torn, twisted, or stretched, this is known as a sprain. Ligaments are bands of tissue that go around joints and connect bones to each other. Most sprains happen in the knee or ankle, and the pain, swelling, and limited movement that come with them are signs.

• Injuries to the Achilles tendon happen when the tissue that ties the calf muscle to the heel gets torn. The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the body. Achilles tendinitis happens when this tendon gets hurt, which often happens in sports that involve a lot of running.

• Jumper's knee, also called patellar tendonitis, is an injury or inflammation of the muscle that connects the knee cap to the shin bone. Jumper's knee is popular in sports like volleyball and basketball where you jump a lot.

A few more

• Injury to the rotator cuff: The rotator cuff keeps the shoulder blade in place. When playing sports like tennis, baseball, or swimming that use the shoulder a lot, the rotator cuff is more likely to get hurt or inflamed. Aside from swelling, the most common sign is pain when trying to lift the arm or reach behind the back.

• Runner's knee is another injury caused by doing the same thing over and over again. It is common in marathon runners and other athletes who bike or run a lot. Pain just below the knees and swelling in the area are signs.

• Strains: A strain is different from a sprain in that the muscle is hurt instead of the tendon, which is the case with a sprain. When muscle tissue is pulled too far, this can cause a strain. In sports, pulls often happen when a person lifts, runs, jumps, or quickly changes direction.

• Tennis elbow is caused by overuse of the elbow, which is common in games like golf and tennis. It affects the outside of the elbow. When the muscles get inflamed, they hurt all the time.

The only people who can't get these injuries are those who play professional sports. It's important to remember that these conditions can affect different muscles, bones, tendons, or ligaments, but the most common signs are pain, inflammation, or swelling.

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CBD as pain relief in sports injuries

As worries about prescription painkiller overdoses grow, experts are looking into safer ways to treat pain. Cannabis has been suggested as a possible way to treat pain because, unlike opioids, it doesn't cause habit and can't kill you if you take too much. A survey of 2,897 people who use cannabis for medical purposes found that most of them felt less pain without the bad side effects that come with other pain medicines. Also, 81% of those polled strongly agreed that cannabis was more effective than opioids when taken alone.

In animal models, research that was published in the European Journal of Pain showed that a topical CBD pain treatment spray helped reduce swelling and pain.

Topical pain relief sprays and CBD-based pain relief roll-ons with high CBD ratios work well for both short-term and long-term pain. People also know that they can help with nerve pain.

There are also patches with CBD that can be put on the area that hurts to relieve pain for a long time. Putting a patch on a knee, neck, back, hand, arm, or any other painful spot can help relieve pain for a long time.

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CBD as aid in muscle recovery

Muscle fibres can be damaged at the microscopic level by intense workouts. This causes inflammation, which makes muscles stiff and sore. But CBD, which is better at fighting free radicals than even powerful antioxidants like vitamins C and E, may be a good way to treat soreness after a workout.

A review from 2018 found that CBD can help people with multiple sclerosis feel less pain and have better movement and less inflammation. CBD can also help reduce inflammation and speed up healing after a workout when it is put on the skin in the form of sprays, roll-ons, or creams.

A lot of athletes say that they use CBD creams on sore muscles after a run to reduce pain and improve flexibility. CBD products, like pain relief balms for healing, are usually made with a mix of high-quality carrier oils and essential oils that have CBD made from hemp. These topicals are quickly absorbed by the skin and help with pain and soreness right away after a workout.

Athletes also often deal with muscle cramps while training or after a workout. Muscle cramps were once thought to be caused by not drinking enough water, but new study shows that they are caused by getting tired too soon. CBD creams or sprays for pain relief, which can be put on the skin, have been shown to help treat muscle cramps.

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CBD for chronic traumatic brain injury

Contact sports like football, combat, baseball, hockey, and ice hockey can cause concussions and other brain injuries that can affect how well the brain works. A degenerative brain disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) was found in 110 of 111 deceased NFL players in a 2017 study released in The Journal of the American Medical Association. CTE is common in athletes and other people who have had repeated head injuries.

Researchers say that worry and acting on impulses are common mood and behaviour symptoms of the disease in its early stages. In its later stages, CTE can make it hard to remember, talk, or move. CTE can cause memory loss, trouble planning, setting priorities, organising, and paying attention. It can also cause depression, suicide thoughts, impulsivity, confusion, aggression, anger, and irritability.

Chronic Traumatic Encephalomyopathy, a more serious form of CTE, causes muscle loss, stiffness, and a lot of weakness. Injury is caused in part by inflammation, and other experts are looking into the feedback loop that makes concussions and other head injuries worse and leads to CTE.

Scientific studies – CBD for sports injuries in the brain

A study has shown that CBD may help brain cells. A 2008 review of research on how CBD can be used to treat chronic pain showed that it can reduce inflammation and ease pain. A study done in 2000 found that CBD and THC helped reduce damage in rats. In a study done in Canada, CBD was found to make new neurons grow in newborn rats and to make depression and worry go away.

Researchers at Hampson et al. found that cannabis protects nerve cells, mostly because it is an antioxidant. In fact, the experts showed that cannabidiol is a better antioxidant than vitamins C and E.

Johns Hopkins recently started a study to look at how cannabinoids are used during the NFL season. The study will keep track of injuries, how players heal, and what treatments they get while also looking at how CBD use affects their general health.

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CBD for energy restoration

Athletes have traditionally relied on energy drinks, pills, or caffeine to increase alertness and energy levels. However, the main ingredient in these products is caffeine, which can have negative effects, including fast heartbeat, anxiety, and tremors, particularly when taken in excess. Additionally, withdrawal effects can occur. In contrast, CBD can restore energy without any side effects or withdrawal symptoms.

Does CBD give you energy?

A 2014 article published in Current Neuropharmacology highlighted the potential of cannabidiol as a “wake-promoting agent.” When microinjections of CBD are administered to the brain, they activate neurons that increase dopamine levels and alertness.

More from our blogs

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• Can CBD Be Used as Part of Your Workout Routine?

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CBD for broken bones

In sports, broken bones happen often. When a bone is broken, the body starts to fix it by making a callus at the break. This callus bridges and seals the gap between the two broken ends.

Researchers have found that CBD can help broken bones heal by making more collagen, a protein found in bones.

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CBD can improve sleep quality

CBD has been shown to have potential in improving sleep quality. A 2019 study found that CBD was effective in reducing anxiety and improving sleep in patients with anxiety and sleep disorders. The study reported that 79.2% of the participants experienced lower anxiety levels, and 66.7% reported improved sleep scores.

Another study published in 2018 reported that CBD was useful in treating REM sleep behaviour disorder, a condition that causes people to act out their dreams and can lead to poor sleep quality. Additionally, CBD has been shown to have sedative effects, which can aid in falling asleep and staying asleep.

If you get better sleep that will lead to better restoration of your body and you can perform better in your sports.

More about CBD for sleep

• Sleep Better with CBD
• CBD for Sleep Apnea
• CBD for Sleep – But does it work?

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CBD for Sports Injuries: Benefits and Risks

When it comes to using CBD for sports injuries, there are both benefits and risks to consider. On the one hand, CBD have potential benefits for managing pain and inflammation. This can be especially helpful for those dealing with sports injuries. On the other hand, there is still a lot that we don't know about the long-term effects of CBD use. Particularly in high doses. Additionally, CBD can interact with other medications. So it's important to talk to your doctor before starting to use CBD for sports injuries.

CBD side Effects

CBD's most common side effects are sleepiness, stomach problems, dry mouth, less hunger, sickness, and interactions with other drugs. These are described in more depth below.

Drowsiness

Some common side effects of CBD use are feeling sleepy and relaxed. This is also seen as a positive, the effects might be too strong if you're also taking other drugs that make you sleepy.

Gastrointestinal Issues

Some people who use CBD may get diarrhoea or have trouble with their stomach. This depends on the person and their health history, so it's important to keep an eye on them.

Dry Mouth

CBD, which is sometimes called “cotton mouth,” can make your mouth and eyes feel very dry.1 Even though this side affect happens more often with THC, it can also happen with CBD.

Can affect how other medicines work

CBD could mess up the way your other medicines work. It's important to talk to your doctor about how CBD might interact with any medicines you're already taking. Read more about CBD interactions here

Nausea

Sometimes people who take CBD products might feel sick. This depends on how sensitive they are to CBD and how much they take.

Because CBD supplements come in so many different forms. Most common are oils, gummies, tinctures, and vapours, the amount that is actually absorbed can change by a lot. This, along with who you are, will determine which (if any) side effects you might have from CBD.

More about CBD Side Effects here

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How to Use CBD for Sports Injuries

If you're interested in using CBD for sports injuries, there are a few different ways to do so. One option is to use a CBD topical, which can be applied directly to the skin over the affected area. Another option is to use CBD oil or capsules, which can be ingested orally. It's important to note that different forms of CBD may have different effects and absorption rates. Therefore, it's worth experimenting to see what works best for you.

CBD Dosage for Sports Injuries

There is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to CBD dosage for sports injuries. The optimal dosage will depend on a number of factors. Including your weight, the severity of your injury, and the form of CBD you're using. In general, it's a good idea to start with a low dose and gradually increase as needed. It's also a good idea to talk to your doctor before starting to use CBD for sports injuries.

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How to choose the best CBD for Sports Injuries

Are you looking for the CBD goods that work best? Keep an eye out for the potency of the cannabis, the high-quality organic botanical raw materials. The proven ways of making it, and the results of independent lab tests.

• High-quality ingredients: Hemp plants from Europe are grown organically, without chemical fertilisers, pesticides, or herbicides. The CO2 extraction method is used to get the extract, which keeps the extract in its best form.
• Standardised production methods: The company uses facilities that are certified as meeting Good Manufacturing Practises (GMP). This makes sure that their goods meet strict safety and quality standards, which are checked by independent labs.
• Lab tests done by companies hired by a third party. Hemp oil goes through a number of tests at independent labs to make sure it is safe to eat. Also that it has the right amount of active cannabinoids, like CBD.

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Different CBD products for sports injuries

Type of CBD

How CBD is taken out of the plant determines what kinds of CBD oil can be made. You will find three different kinds of CBD oil: full spectrum oil, broad spectrum oil, and CBD extract oil.

• Full-spectrum oil. This has all the chemicals and helpful cannabinoids that are found in a cannabis plant. It also has less than the 0.3% THC level that is against the law.
• Broad-spectrum CBD oil. It contains all the chemicals that can be found in cannabis plants, except for small amounts of THC.
• Isolated CBD oil is CBD oil that has been taken out of everything else. CBD isolate is the purest form of CBD because it doesn't have any of the chemicals that come from hemp like full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD oils do.

There are many kinds of CBD products.

Different kinds of CBD oils, such as full-spectrum CBD, broad-spectrum CBD, and CBD extract. Also, they come in many different forms, such as CBD topicals, gummies, pills, tinctures, bath bombs, vapes, and many more.

• Capsules are a good choice because they are easy to take and measure.
• Tinctures come in a range of flavours and strengths of CBD
• Creams come in different amounts, and they are put on the skin to ease pain and inflammation.
• Topicals are put on the face. They come in different forms, like creams, balms, and oils.
• CBD gummies are colourful, tasty, and useful CBD-based treats.

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FAQS about CBD for Sports Injuries

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Conclusion: Is CBD Right for You?

CBD has shown a lot of promise as a potential tool for managing pain and inflammation. Making it a potentially useful option for those recovering from sports injuries. However, there is still a lot we don't know about the long-term effects of CBD use.Sso it's important to talk to your doctor before starting to use CBD. Additionally, it's important to use CBD responsibly and follow dosage guidelines carefully.

If you're interested in using CBD for sports injuries, it's worth exploring the different forms of CBD available and experimenting to see what works best for you. With careful use, CBD may be a helpful tool in your recovery journey.

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The Real CBD for Sports