Tag: Sport

Three women running
28 Sep

Returning to Sport After Injury

For keen athletes and lovers of sport, sitting out because of an injury can be challenging. Whether you have simply pulled a muscle or have a more serious injury, rest and recovery are just as important for your training regime as the physical workouts.

Speeding up recovery time and ensuring your training doesn’t fall to the wayside are important for many. Here, we look at how you can get back on track and safely return to sport after an injury.

Why is Full Recovery Important

For more dedicated athletes, recovery from an injury can be a mental battle as well as something physical that needs to be overcome. Many will be eager to get back to their sport and may be willing to ignore pain or treat the symptoms without assessing the cause.

This can do more damage.

Giving yourself time to fully recover can help prevent the development of even worse injuries that require longer time too help and more intensive treatment plans.

When to Return

Although you may feel like you’re ready to dive back in, knowing for sure that you’re not risking your body and doing any more harm is important.

The following progression of exercises can be used as an indicator of whether you are ready to return to your usual activity. The number of exercises you can do comfortably will show where you are in your recovery.

  1. Walk with no limp.
  2. Jog with no limp.
  3. Run with no limp.
  4. Running in figure 8 and zig-zag configuration with no limp.
  5. Double and single leg hops.
  6. Drills specific to your sport.
  7. Contact drills.
  8. Ability to return to competitions.

A physiotherapist will be able to help you map out a more precise timeline and regime of exercises for your recovery.

What Can You Do to Aid Your Return?

If you’re itching to get back to the game, the following things can help support recovery and get you back on the road to peak performance.

Physiotherapy

If you have over-exerted an injury but don’t require immediate medical attention, you may want to seek the help of a physiotherapist or sports injury specialist.

As previously mentioned, they will be able to help you with targeted treatments and will give a more specific timeline about when you will be able to return to sports as normal.

Going to physiotherapy sessions at the first signs of an injury is often the best thing to do if you want to reduce potential recovery time. Leaving symptoms unresolved can lead to chronic injuries which will require more intensive intervention and will take far longer to heal.

CBD For Muscle Recovery

Recent years have seen the rise in the use of CBD for muscle recovery to help support athletes’ return to sports.

CBD products work as a natural anti-inflammatory agent which can effectively reduce muscle soreness and decrease recovery time. Many also use CBD to aid sleep and relaxation, which is another essential component needed for a successful recovery.

Since the World Anti-Doping Agency has removed CBD from its list of prohibited substances, professional athletes can rest assured they won’t be scrutinised for using CBD products during and even after periods of recovery.

It should be noted that CBD is not a treatment for sports injuries, but rather an aid that can be used to support the recovery process. If you experience a serious injury, you should seek the help of medical professionals and conventional medicine.

Don’t Push Yourself

In theory, this is one of the simplest things you can do, but in practice, many athletes struggle. Before it is safe for you to return to normal, you need to make time for yourself and your body to relax!

Try not to push yourself too hard before you are ready. Preventing further injury is key, so you’ll thank yourself in the long run for taking it easy.

Here at ElleVance, we are dedicated to providing high-quality CBD products for a variety of uses. If you are interested in using CBD to support your return to sports, why not browse our range of specialist products?

Rugby balls on a training pitch by cones
13 Aug

Using CBD for Rugby

A growing body of research is showing that CBD can provide a range of health benefits for all people. By promoting natural reactions in our body, cannabinoids have the potential to help us live happier, healthier lives.

Since WADA removed CBD from its list of prohibited substances, athletes are now discovering the potential benefits it can bring to physical performance.

Rugby is one of the most physically intense team sports in the world, with so much pressure exerted, mentally and physically, across the body. CBD can assist rugby players in their performance, particularly during the recovery process, as outlined in this article.

Improved Recovery

Given the amount of physical activity and contact involved, it’s unsurprising that rugby is one of the most demanding and, as a result, injury-prone sports. While international bodies seek to make injuries less common, the basics of the game mean that pain is inevitable, and the recovery process is vital.

Recovery, either from injury or general fatigue, is a long process with many facets. However, CBD can provide benefits in many of these areas.

CBD reduces pain and inflammation, allowing the body to speed up its natural recovery processes and, ultimately, produce more muscle. Cannabinoids can also promote sleep, a vital part of overcoming fatigue and feeling fresh for the next fixture.

When it comes to more serious injuries, CBD can also help in the reduction of pain and inflammation, while its stress-reducing properties provide the athlete with a stronger sense of calm at what can be a traumatic time.

Note: CBD is not an alternative to conventional medicine, and should only be used to assist a more in-depth recovery process.

Two rugby teams in a physical scrum

Reduced Pain and Inflammation

One of CBD’s most significant benefits for rugby players is its ability to decrease levels of pain and inflammation naturally. For many players, these are just parts of the sport. However, properly managing the recovery process not only makes it more comfortable but can also lead to better gains going forward.

Cannabinoids in CBD interact with your body’s natural endocannabinoid system, which then interacts with the nervous system to reduce pain and inflammation. By lowering these feelings, the body will be free to help you recover more quickly and effectively than before, making your body more durable over time and reducing the recovery time needed between matches.

Increased Sleep

We have perennially underestimated the importance of sleep, but it’s an essential part of athletic performance. During our sleep is when our bodies perform the most rigorous recovery procedures, while a lack of sleep can impact our time awake in a myriad of ways, both physical and mental.

CBD may help the body to control its emotions, triggering natural hormones that enable us to fall asleep quicker and more deeply. By improving the quality of your rest, you’ll feel fresher in body and mind for the next day.

Shop CBD oils, capsules and balms at Ellevance

Controlled Stress and Anxiety

Sportspeople at the highest level need to make every moment count. However, that pressure we put on ourselves can have a negative effect if not channelled in the right way. Stress not only impacts on our on-field performance but can also negatively affect recovery, dieting and other aspects of your life.

The natural chemicals in CBD may help the body to suppress feelings of anxiety and stress before they can appear. This ability to reduce negative emotions can lead to higher levels of performance, as well as improved recovery processes.

A downcast rugby player alone on a pitch

Are athletes allowed to take CBD products?

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, CBD has been removed from the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of prohibited substances for athletes. CBD products do not contain THC, the psychoactive element that remains a banned substance for many sports. Many professional athletes across multiple sports now use CBD products as part of their recovery and preparation process.

CBD is an excellent way of assisting the body in doing what it does best. Here at Ellevance, we are one of the top producers of CBD oil in the UK, with products designed specifically for sports performance. For more information, please browse our range or check out our blog on how athletes can manage injuries.

team of rowers on a boat
03 Feb

How Sport Can Improve Mental Health

Exercise has long been hailed as ‘nature’s antidepressant’ and there is a good reason for this. Exercise can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety and help improve self-esteem and positive feelings.


How Does Exercise Improve Mental Health?


Exercising triggers the release of brain chemicals that increase our happiness and our relaxation, and usually, sport is a great form of exercise.

A study from the Mental Health Foundation showed that participants had an elevated mood after 30 minutes, from some form of exercise. This could have been anything from gardening to walking, in comparison to those who participated in an inactive activity such as reading.


The benefits of sport on your mental health

person doing a sit up

Sports Encourages Friendship

Friendships are one of the most important relationships we have in our lives and are crucial to mental health. When it comes to sport, if you are part of a team, this is the perfect environment for friendships to blossom. Team sport relies on trust and loyalty and these two components can facilitate bonding. Having friendship in your life is an innate need for the majority of us and fulfilling this boosts our mental health.

Sport Reduces Depression and Stress

Being physically active takes your mind away from daily stressors. It only has one thing to focus on, and that is what sport you are participating in right at that moment. When you are exercising, the process reduces the stress hormones in your body and stimulates the production of endorphins and endocannabinoids. These are chemicals that can help keep stress at bay and alleviate depression and anxiety symptoms.

person doing exercises on floor

Sports Improve Sleeping Habits

Sleep is absolutely vital to us. Not only is it important to how our body can perform, but it’s also very important to how our brain performs. Lack of sleep can cause all sorts of issues, ranging from hormonal imbalances, tiredness, and a slower rate of healing, amongst others. Sport helps us get a much better quality of sleep, which of course has a positive effect on our mental health.

Sport Boosts Your Self Confidence

Sport usually offers a chance to practice regular exercise. Because of this, we are able to see our stamina, flexibility, endurance and other skills improve over time, which can be a great confidence booster. Along with physical health improving, the energy that comes with it will only fuel the desire to keep practising the sport, and in turn, progress with it. This will reinforce that you are capable of anything you set your mind to!

Sport Boosts Your Cognitive Function

Did you know, exercise boosts your brain function? According to Start Active, Stay Active (2011), there is clear evidence that daily physical activity can reduce the risk of cognitive decline in adults, with a risk reduction of 20-30%, of those developing dementia. It is also said that physical exercise can reduce the likelihood of experiencing cognitive decline in people who don’t have dementia. Keeping your cognition as healthy as possible can help prevent mental health issues, as mental health issues are associated with a disruptive cognition.

person doing yoga on beach

Sport and Mental Resilience

Engaging in sport and exercise is a healthy and effective way to cope with life stressors, rather than turning to substances such as alcohol, smoking, or other negative behaviours that could further the issues of mental health problems and worsen your physical state. When faced with mental or emotional challenges, sport gives one of the best kinds of healthy relief, and along with this, regular exercise improves your immune system which is important for both physical and mental resilience.

Sport and Hemp

There are numerous benefits of taking hemp oil for sport. Quality hemp products are rich in CBDA, which acts as an anti-inflammatory, and in CBD, which preserves the nerve cells structure and function. Hemp can also help speed up the recovery process after sport, which means you can get back to exercising in no time, enabling you to keep a routine that supports both your physical and mental health.

Summary

Participating in sports is a fantastic way to improve your health. Not only by having the support of peers and building friendships but also for the physical effects it has on your body. Why not try out a new sport?

Here at ElleVance Sciences, we have a range of supplements that can support your active lifestyle. Read here to find out how CBD oil can improve wellbeing and give our online store a browse!