NFL pain management research: All you need to know about $526,525 grant

The amount of stress NFL players subject their muscles to has both positive and harmful effects. Stress from workout boosts efficiency and adaptation, but physical harm and continued wear and tear also cause injuries and discomfort. Many people are interested in learning more about cannabidiol, or CBD, for players in pursuit of better sports recovery as well as more secure pain management.

A study on cutting-edge pain treatment techniques is also being funded by the NFL and the NFL Players Association. The league and union announced a joint grant award of $526,525 for two research grants.

This will make it easier for independent medical experts from the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience and Emory University to "investigate creative, first-of-their-kind, alternative pain management techniques that might help NFL players, and the public at large," such as CBD's potential to lessen symptoms associated with concussion.

NFL players have fought for years with the discomfort they experience from playing football at the top level. It now seems that the league is paying attention and making an attempt to contribute to the discovery of feasible answers.

Research will examine the role of non-invasive vagal nerve stimulation, CBD and mindfulness-based interventions in sports medicine in reducing symptoms of concussion.

The NFL-NFLPA Joint Pain Management Committee have approved grants for the second year running. With the aim of researching how CBD lessens the need of prescription drugs, they gave more than $1 million to the University of California- San Diego and the University of Regina last year.

What are the benefits of CBD for athletes?

CBD may be advantageous for NFL players for a few basic reasons, and it all emanates from mobility. It is logical to assume that CBD could be helpful for movement of joints given that preclinical animal model studies investigating the treatment of arthritis with CBD indicated that oral and topical CBD may assist in decreasing inflammation and enhance healing in joints.

The part with the highest potential for impact appears to be pain management. More significant controlled investigations are required but the studies that have been conducted until now – the majority on mice, but some on humans – have discovered that CBD can have therapeutic or pain-reducing properties by acting on particular cannabinoid receptors.