The Benefits of CBD for Athletes


Athletes are the individuals most susceptible to injuries. In athletes, injuries can develop slowly through repetitive, hard training activities. Some of the athletic injuries include; Anterior Cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries that are mostly related to sports like soccer, baseball, and football; Tendonitis is the irritation of the tendon and other delicate tissue interfacing muscle to bone. It is regularly caused by monotonous development, setting strain on the ligament, and contrarily affecting the influenced zone after some time.

Baseball, one of the most widely played sports, can lead to many injuries to it's athletes. Athletes who play baseball have to be very careful regarding their health. The average patient age reported at a hospital with injuries related to playing baseball was approximately 21 years, with a peak in the 16 to 19 age group. Patients with fractures had an average age below the overall mean, while those with internal derangement of the knee, patellofemoral pain syndrome, and inflammatory injuries were significantly older than average. Males accounted for 80.3% of all injuries. For both genders, the mainly frequent areas injured were the ankle and knee and, with sprains/strains amongst the most common injuries (DeHaven, 1986). Articular-sided partial rotator cuff tears and superior labral tears are common in throwing athletes. Surgical procedures are considered when nonsurgical methods are unsuccessful. Throwing athletes who have a glenohumeral internal rotation deficit have a good response, in most scenarios, to stretching of the posteroinferior part of the capsule. (Braun, Kokmeyer, & Millett, 2009). Shoulder injuries are frequent amongst handball athletes and are dominated by overuse properties. A prospective cohort study examined the effect of three risk factors for shoulder injuries which included decreased glenohumeral rotation, external rotation weakness, and scapular dyskinesis. The research concluded that external rotation weakness is related with the shoulder injury and should be included in injury prevention plans, whereas exercises pointing internal rotation motion and scapula dyskinesis should be expelled (Andersson, Bahr, Clarsen, & Myklebust, 2017).

Symptoms associated with athletic injuries

Inflammation of joints which is known as arthritis affecting feet, hands, cervical spine, knees and shoulders which inflammatory response of synovium is observed in all several injuries. Pain, swelling, uneasiness are also the symptoms of injuries caused to athletes. Some signs and symptoms are treated with nonsurgical means, and some are by Surgical procedures. Treatment is followed by detailed history and examination of the athlete. Recognizing early signs of injuries and conditions and establishing an effective treatment program is key. Cannabis plant which is also known as medical marijuana has been effective in such conditions (Hicks, 2015). Dr. Allan Frankel, who is a big name in the field of cannabis-related drugs supports CBD consumptions in any sports injury.

CBD Benefits of Use for Athletes

CBD (cannabidiol) is a nonpsychoactive chemical compound that affects neurotransmitters in the brain. There are almost 113 cannabinoids present in the cannabis plant, and CBD is among those that have been getting a lot of scientific and medical attention. It is mostly used in the form of oil. It eradicates the high effects of THC and also intoxication, drowsiness, getting very high along with the memory impairment. The endocannabinoid system plays a chief part along with CBD. It attaches to the cannabinoid receptors in different parts of the body primarily in the Central nervous system through the antipsychotic effect (Tokes, 2016).

Treatment with CBD

CBD possess anti-inflammatory characteristics, and it is commonly prescribed for inflammation in several diseases by the healthcare professionals which include cancers, oral disorders, etc. (Burstein, 2015). Burstein Sumner researched CBD’s effects regarding inflammation; it concluded that the receptor binding ability and chemistry of CBD makes it an important component of the cannabis plant that is also very helpful in dealing with inflammation (Burstein S. , 2015). CBD can be consumed in any form depending on the choice of the individual, such as capsules, vaporizer, oil, ointment, etc.

CBD was studied to explore its effects on collagen-induced arthritis; it was observed that CBD is well absorbed and highly effective in both Intraperitoneal and real administration. The study successfully concluded that great anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties of CBD gave powerful anti-arthritic effect in collagen-induced arthritis (Malfait, Gallily, Sumariwalla, Malik, & Andreakos, 2000). There have been other studies conducted which proposed that CBD could be used to cure symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, nausea, bowel disorders. Athletic associations and individual fitness fanatics have gotten on the CBD wagon. Science has proven that Hemp-based CBD reduces pain, inflammation, and muscle spasm. CBD protects the brain’s neurological function and improves healing speed after concussive injuries. The use of CBD can be extremely efficient for decreasing athletic-related injuries and their pre and post surgery symptom and also improve the healing process so one can get back to the game.

CBD in Pre and Post Knee ACL Surgery

Knee surgery that is experienced by athletes after any trauma is often complicated. Pain management, dressing care, physical therapy, devastating effects and weakened muscles all need to be tended. It takes effort and time to regain the strength after any such surgical procedure. It also requires psychological strength. Either it is a total knee replacement surgery, reconstruction surgery or some minor trauma, the main concern of the patient or physician is rapid healing. Certain kinds of supplements and foods contribute to speed up your recovery from knee surgery. CBD oil is beneficial to post ACL Knee Surgery. It greatly works as an analgesic in the medical sector (Mechoulam, Peters, Murillo-Rodriguez, & Hanu{\v{s}}, 2007).

CBD Interference with Other Drugs

There was a research conducted on potential interactions of CBD with other drugs. They confirmed safety outline of CBD in human beings. CBD enhances the treatment when added to any treatment (Iffland & Grotenhermen, 2017). CBD is a safe medicinal aid for all ages and lifestyle needs.

CBD Compared to Over the Counter Pharmaceuticals

CBD is better as compared to the over the counter pharmaceutical products in that CBD does not interfere with the mechanism of other drugs. The biggest reason is that CBD does not have any side effects whereas other drugs leave certain side effects on the person consuming it.