CBD could play a dual role in medical treatment of bone fractures, but more research is needed into the application of cannabinoids to orthopedic surgery, say a group of researchers in Kentucky.
The researchers, who set out to compile existing medical literature dedicated to CBD’s efficacy post-orthopedic surgery, said they found the results lacking.
“More research needs to be conducted through controlled, well-designed and, above all, clinical trials specifically designed for orthopedic surgery,” wrote the researchers, a team from the Norton Leatherman Spine Center and the University of Louisville School of Medicine.
Among other potential benefits, the researchers noted that cannabinoids could help speed the restoration of bone breaks and reduce the use of opioids.
Earlier research questioned
CBD’s efficacy in the treatment of bone fractures was researched in 2017 by the Bone Laboratory of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. That study, which administered CBD to mice with femoral fractures, seemed to indicate that CBD-based therapies led to improved recovery of the biomechanical characteristics of re-set bones after eight weeks.
While that research was criticized for a low number of samples, and questioned for the implications of its conclusions to humans, the study found that the administration of CBD led to a faster healing. The researchers also posited that CBD could be effective in the treatment of osteoporosis.
“We now expect the legal barriers and prejudices about studying these compounds to continue to dissolve so we can do more research,” the Kentucky research team said.
“Although impossible to predict clearly, the acceptance of cannabinoids as a legitimate means of pain control could alter the prescribing patterns of future orthopedic surgeons and mitigate the current opioid crisis,” the researchers said.
