How to Manage Back Pain
Back pain is one of the most common types of pain that an athlete can experience. Athletes can focus on several methods to help manage their back pain including: physical therapy and massage therapy, stretching, core training, yoga as recovery, as well as heat and ice therapy. So how can athletes prevent, or manage their back pain? There is no simple answer but if you are an athlete, you can take several steps to help manage your pain:
PHYSICAL THERAPY & MASSAGE THERAPY
Physical therapy is one of the primary ways of treating and preventing back pain in athletes. Physical therapists can design a recovery program that is based specifically on your pain. Using a combination of strengthening, stretching and low-impact exercises, physical therapy allows an athlete to recover under medical supervision. Massage therapy is another fantastic method for helping an athlete manage their back pain. A massage therapist can help reduce stress, improve circulation, improve sleep, and reduce fatigue.
STRETCHING, CORE TRAINING & YOGA AS RECOVERY EXERCISES
Yoga and recovery stretching is a must for athletes who are dealing with back pain. Restorative yoga can help increase mobility, strengthen back muscles, and relieve back pain in athletes naturally. Core exercises also help strengthen muscles in the abdomen, which can help support your spine. The stronger your abs become, the less likely you will experience pain in your back.
USE HEAT & ICE REGULARLY
Apply a cold ice pack following a workout or game and alternate to using a heating pad applied to your back. Using ice and heat can help relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and help with recovery in athletes. Apply ice packs to your back several times a day for at least 20 minutes. After icing, it is a good idea for athletes to switch to heat with a heating pad, a hot bath, or sauna (if you have access to one). Heat loosens tight muscles that cause pain.
CBD FOR BACK PAIN IN ATHLETES
Cannabidiol (CBD) is another great recovery and pain management option for athletes with back pain. CBD, which helps to support healthy inflammation levels, works with the human endocannabinoid system (ECS) receptors in the body to regulate pain. Through these receptors, the ECS regulates appetite, digestion, immune function, inflammation, mood, sleep, reproduction, memory and pain. CBD promotes homeostasis in the body, reduces pain sensations and decreases inflammation by interacting with the ECS.
Athletes considering CBD as a work-out recovery supplement or as a means to help manage their back pain may consider the risks of being drug tested. When a drug test is performed, the active chemical in marijuana that gets detected in a positive screening is THC. There may be trace amounts of THC in the products you use, so to be absolutely sure to always read the testing label or the COA of the product. But this is not the case with Hemp-derived CBD. CBD derived from Hemp (Cannabis Sativa L), such as the our Hemp Balm, Hemp Drops, or Hemp Capsules, does not contain any THC and will pass drug testing.
Incorporating CBD post-workout or combined with any of the above mentioned methods of treatment can help with pain management. I recommend the Releaf Soak, Releaf Patches, and Releaf Balm. If you’re feeling severe pain, transdermal patches will penetrate through all layers of skin and enter the bloodstream near the targeted area so the cannabinoids will work to relieve pain in the specific area first prior to spreading throughout the whole body. Papa & Barkley’s transdermal patches will microdose throughout a 12-hour period. Keep in mind, the Releaf line of products does contain varying ratios of THC to CBD and would therefore not be suitable if you are an athlete that will undergo drug testing. Instead, take a look at our Hemp CBD products.
