It should come as no surprise that fitness enthusiasts, pro athletes and even fairly sedentary individuals dread the pain associated with sports injuries. Whether it occurs on the gridiron or after a long bicycle commute, a pulled muscle, sprain or swollen joint can seriously hamper one’s quality of life. In fact, according to the single most comprehensive long-term study on the matter, sport and recreation (SR) related injuries account for over four million emergency room visits annually.
Naturally, athletically-inclined individuals incorporate health and dietary supplements into their daily regimen to maintain peak physical condition and avoid injury. The emergence of topical wholesale cannabidiol (CBD) has provided them with a natural and desirable alternative to over the counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, better known as NSAIDs.
What are the drawbacks of NSAIDs?
While NSAIDs have been a conventional form of self-treatment for SR injuries going on several decades, they come with a range of physical side effects including indigestion, stomach ulcers, and allergic reactions. Because the risk and severity of these side effects rise significantly with continuous use, NSAIDs are typically recommended for no more than three days at a time.
So how is CBD different from NSAIDs, and what makes it better? In this post, we take a quick look at the how and the why, specifically in the context of physically active individuals.
The Benefits of Topical CBD for Sport Related Injuries, Explained
It’s well-documented in scientific literature that SR injuries are most common below the waist in trained athletes, specifically prevalent in the anterior cruciate (ACL) and medial collateral (MCL) ligaments of the knee joint. Moreover, the majority of SR injuries in experienced athletes are called “overuse” or “chronic” injuries — which are caused by cumulative trauma or repetitive stress — as opposed to acute injuries, which are caused by a single traumatic event.
While a broken bone or dislocated shoulder are good examples of acute injuries, chronic injuries are subtler in nature. They occur typically from overtraining or inadequate recovery time between exercise and can manifest in the form of joint swelling, stress fractures, or even bursitis.
CBD’s potent anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and spasmolytic properties are well established in medical research, and are currently touted by several notable athletes as an effective form of localized treatment when applied topically. Mixed martial arts heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier and Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas are just two examples of sports standouts who openly credit CBD as a means of staying pain and injury-free throughout their athletic careers.
Topical CBD produces no side effects because it works with cannabinoids already present in the body in what is called the endocannabinoid system (ECS). By promoting homeostasis, CBD is shown to not only reduce pain and inflammation as well as muscle cramps and spasms — it optimizes enzyme action and cell function as well.
How Accessible are CBD Topicals to Athletes?
Topical CBD comes in a variety of available forms, the most common of which are the following:
- Balms
- Sprays
- Gels
- Ointments
- Powder
- Lotions
- Patches
- Foam
While many professional athletes are sponsored by CBD companies who regularly send them boxed sets of topical products, physically active individuals and hobbyists are best served buying wholesale cannabidiol that they only need top off once every few months.
Finally, it’s worth an athlete’s time to experiment with isolated, broad-spectrum, and full-spectrum CBD topicals before deciding which is best for his or her specific needs.
