We’ve all done it. Whether you’ve fallen down the stairs or tripped over an electrical cord at the office; the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistic reports that sprains and strains rank as the most common workplace injury.
A sprain can result in weeks or even months of pain, upending your quality of life and the ability to easily perform daily tasks.
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As it happens, cannabis can help ease the pain and inflammation associated with sprains and strains. In fact, a growing number of folks are turning to the plant to help them recover from these common injuries.
More Athletes Are Using Marijuana to Help With Pain & Injuries
A quiet but decidedly growing movement is bringing cannabis out of the shadows, as more and more athletes feel comfortable about discussing their cannabis consumption. Many athletes say marijuana before workouts and after the big game helps with mental focus and most importantly, helps reduce painful post-workout inflammation and pain for faster recovery.
Steve Kerr, legendary athlete and coach of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors notes, “I don’t think there’s any question that pot is better for your body than Vicodin.”
Martellus Bennet, retired NFL tight-end recently revealed that he estimates about 89% of NFL players consume cannabis, saying, “There are times of the year where your body just hurts so bad. You don’t want to be popping pills all the time.”
Martellus adds that anti-inflammatory drugs can “start to eat at your liver, kidneys and things like that.”
A 2018 study by the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine looked at cannabis use by elite athletes, and noted that though more study is needed, there’s promising evidence that supports the use of cannabis by athletes requiring pain management.
If it’s good enough for top-level athletes, then marijuana products would appear to be an effective option for the regular Jack or Jill who wants to ease their muscular strains.
Using Cannabis to Help Ease Sprains & Strains
Like all medical conditions for which the use of medical cannabis may be helpful, receiving a diagnosis of your injury is essential. Without the information from an X-Ray or MRI, the seriousness of a strain or sprain can be hard to gauge, particularly in the minutes and hours following an injury. Many people tough out what appears to be a simple strain, only to discover they’ve been hobbling on an ankle hiding a torn ligament or even a broken bone.
If you have a garden variety sprain, follow your doctor’s orders, which will undoubtedly include the “RICE” treatment:
- Rest
- Ice
- Compression
- Elevation
Along with your doctor’s orders, think about including a few items curated from the cannabis garden. Marijuana-infused products can help:
- Relax tight muscles
- Promote restful, relaxed sleep
- Reduce inflammation
Keeping a sustained level of helpful cannabinoids and terpenes in your system can help your body mend itself. And the right cannabis product or set of products will help your body do what it does best: restore, heal and recover.
1. Knock Out the Aches & Pains With Beboe’s Mini Indica Vaporizer
Cannabis is a natural anti-inflammatory. Like Martellus Bennet, folks with chronic pain will confirm that smoking cannabis is one of the best ways to ride the waves of pain following an acute injury like a sprain, without the unpleasant side effects associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications like Naprosyn or Advil.
The Mini Indica Vaporizer by Beboe contains a mixture of oils derived from the marijuana strains OG Kush and Grape Ape, both lauded for their relaxing qualities.
Vaping cannabis means the cannabinoids and terpenes take effect nearly immediately, so it really is the fastest way to get some relief after a sprain or strain. It can also help melt away tension anywhere else you feel yourself tightening up.
2. Slap On a Papa & Barkley’s 3:1 Releaf Patch When You Need Pain Relief on the Go
If you have to take yourself and your strained shoulder out and about, consider applying a Papa & Barkley 3:1 Releaf Patch to the affected area.
The patch provides 12 hours of microdosed cannabis medication, and this ratio of three-parts CBD to one-part THC is especially helpful for mild strains and sprains.
For most people, this formulation won’t result in psychoactive effects. That said, transdermal patches are designed for the medicine to reach the bloodstream. So, if you’re especially sensitive to THC, you may feel some psychoactive effects when using this transdermal patch.
3. For a Discreet & Immediate Remedy Without a Head High, Take a Relieve Tablingual by Level
For those who need cannabis medication at the office or on the bleachers at their kid’s basketball game, Relieve Tablinguals by Level offer a unique delivery system that targets inflammation.
These small tablinguals look like mints, but you don’t chew them. Instead, you let them dissolve under the tongue. Their active ingredient, the cannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), doesn’t produce a head high like its relative, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) does. But THCA is showing great promise as an anti-inflammatory, which is just what you need after twisting your ankle or spraining your knee.
RELATED: HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF NON-PSYCHOACTIVE THCA
4. Get In a Good Night’s Sleep With Humboldt Apothecary’s Rest Tincture
Our bodies initiate the majority of healing and repair activities during our sleep cycle. This is why a good night’s sleep is imperative for those recovering from a sprain or strain.
Humboldt Apothecary’s Rest Tincture is indica-based to promote relaxation. It also contains a chill-inducing blend of other essential oils to ensure that you sleep deep and wake up refreshed, including:
- Lavender
- Roman chamomile
- Sweet marjoram
Photo credits: WAYHOME studio/Shutterstock.com (main image), Beboe (Beboe image), Papa & Barkley (Papa & Barkley image), Level (Level image), Humboldt Apothecary (Humboldt Apothecary image)
If you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our Cannabis 101 index of articles. And if you have questions about cannabis, ask them and our community will answer.
