Using CBD to Recover from Injuries

Every serious athlete knows that performance comes at a price. Whether it's practice or game time, there's always a chance of injury. You can be as careful as you can be, but either wear and tear or an accident can lead to getting hurt badly when playing a sport. But it's part of the deal when your goal is to be the best you can truly be, pushing the limits as far as they can go.

Usually, they've depended on prescription medication to deal with pain, whether it's opioids or non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. But we've been finding out lately that they're actually really bad for you and can even make things worse, as well as yielding long-term consequences many years down the line. They're not exactly kind to your internal organs and your brain.

CBD has since become a popular alternative due to its incredible properties that are void of the addictiveness and many side-effects of pharmaceutical drugs. Let's take a look at how CBD is being used by athletes as a safer and healthier way to recover from injuries.

CBD Use By Athletes

Many athletes who use CBD for their pain and injuries have it in either oil or tincture form, which are ideal for sublingual consumption. This way of consuming it lets the CBD be absorbed into the bloodstream quickly, thus yielding effects fast. Oils and tinctures are not just good for pain relief, but also for reducing stress and promoting sleep.

Meanwhile, topical CBD products are also used prodigiously for pain relief. They're applied directly to the affected area, usually massaged into the skin, then absorbed in order to take effect. CBD oils, muscle rubs, and creams are used this way for on-the-spot pain relief.

There are many other types of CBD products available to help with pain relief, anti-inflammation, and stress relief like drinks, edibles, and so on. As time goes by, more ways of using CBD for its benefits are being discovered. Athletes are known to do whatever they can to increase their performance, so they're at the forefront of the latest and greatest in CBD.

CBD as Anti-Inflammatory

CBD is a powerful anti-inflammatory that helps injuries recover with a lot less pain and discomfort. According to Andrew Kerklaan, chiropractor and founder of Dr. Kerklaan Therapeutics, sports injuries involve significant inflammation and mild micro-traumas, making CBD's anti-inflammatory potential very useful for many symptoms of injuries.

That makes CBD beneficial from a number of common exercise-induced injuries that trigger inflammatory response. CBD can be used to recover from achilles tendonitis, muscle spasms, minor sprains and strains, and everyday aches and pains from overuse. CBD can be used in conjunction with other treatment plans for best results.

CBD is pretty good, but it shouldn't be used on its own. Its reputation has been blown out of proportion both online and in the media. While it's indeed a wondrous substance, it's not a panacea that can cure everything. It won't mend anything that's torn or broken. That's why it should be used as a complement to rehabilitation and other treatments.

CBD as Anxiolytic

What makes CBD fantastic is its other benefits aside from its anti-inflammatory effects. It’s also great for relieving anxiety, which makes it a must for athletes. Whether you’re anxious about your recovery from training, or nervous before a crucial game, CBD can help calm the nerves and still the mind.

That also makes it great for promoting sleep. Since getting ample sleep is crucial to healing and recovery, CBD can be beneficial for athletes who may have trouble sleeping. If you find yourself tossing and turning in bed, you can take some CBD and get some much-needed sleep in order to recover from either injuries or the usual wear and tear from training.

Talk to your sleep specialist on whether CBD is best for you. As a sleep aid, it still needs more research in order to verify its effectiveness for this purpose, but there’s a mountain of anecdotal evidence to prove that it does work for anyone who may have some form of insomnia.

CBD Status in Sports

The great thing about using CBD for pain relief and inflammation these days is because it's no longer tested for. For instance, if you get pure CBD from a reliable source, you won't test positive for THC on a drug test. While some organizations still prohibit the use of THC, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) stated in 2018 that they've removed CBD from their list of prohibited substances.

If you're a professional athlete or have a job that has regular drug tests, make sure to check labels to see compound amounts. THC in CBD must fall under 0.3% so you don't get that "high" feeling and it won't appear on drug tests. That risk increases if your CBD comes from a dubious source, so make sure that the CBD company your product comes from has their stuff tested by a verified third party.

Look for CBD companies that specifically carter their products to athletes and people with active lifestyles. They tend to develop their products for use in sports, with maximum strength CBD strains that are high in terpenes and phytocannabinoids that make the most of the hemp plant. Their extraction and processing make sure that their products are as pure in CBD as possible.

How Safe is CBD?

Good CBD should contain as little THC as possible, making it generally safe to use. But if you're still unsure, consult your doctor or holistic health profession to know if CBD is a fit for your health and fitness regimen. You should also make sure that you consume it according to instructions on the package.

It has been said that 9mg per pound of bodyweight is the maximum safe dose, although higher dosages may not be necessary for many ailments. Due to CBD interacting exclusively with the human endocannabinoid system, it shouldn't impede other bodily processes and is considered non-addictive.

With that said, CBD is not a substitute for proper medical intervention. If injured, hurt, or coming down an illness or infection, it's still best to consult professional medical care. Follow your doctor's advice and don't rush back to exercise until you're cleared.

Conclusion

CBD is a great supplement for injury recovery when used right. There are now more ways than ever to consume CBD for many different ailments, including physical injuries from sports and strenuous physical activities. Many professional athletes and celebrities now endorse CBD as a health product, touting its many benefits.