Cannabis and CBD for Pain¶
What the evidence does and doesn't show for cannabis and CBD in musculoskeletal pain, and practical and safety considerations.
Overview¶
Cannabis-based medicines are applicable for the treatment of peripheral neuropathy [3]. Current evidence demonstrates efficacy and safety for chronic musculoskeletal and neuropathic pain with medical cannabis [17]. In the context of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, cannabidiol (CBD) use in postoperative multimodal pain management demonstrates no deficits in patient-reported outcomes versus placebo at 1-year follow-up [1]. CBD use also demonstrates no functional deficits at 1-year follow-up [2]. Consequently, CBD can be considered in a postoperative multimodal pain management regimen without detrimental effects on outcome [1] or long-term detrimental effects [2].
Regarding total joint arthroplasty, regular cannabis use may be associated with increased opioid usage [4]. A synthetic form of cannabinoid (THC) does not appear to limit opioid intake after primary total knee arthroplasty [9]. No specific guidance in the use of cannabis in perioperative pain management can be suggested based on the association between regular cannabis use and increased opioid usage in total joint arthroplasty [4].
Patient interest in medical cannabis is high across orthopaedic subspecialties. Most survey respondents in the orthopaedic sports medicine community believed that CBD has a role in postoperative and chronic pain management [6]. Large numbers of patients with osteoarthritis of the thumb basal joint would be interested in trialing either oral or topical formulations of medical cannabis for treatment of their thumb basal joint pain [7]. Most patients presenting for hand and upper-extremity complaints would consider using medical cannabis (80.9%) [8]. Patients presenting for hand and upper-extremity complaints perceive medical cannabis as a safe treatment option for common orthopedic conditions [8]. Cost is identified as a major barrier to medical cannabis use among patients presenting for hand and upper-extremity complaints [8].
In spine pain, patients estimated that medical cannabis could treat more than half of their spine pain [5]. One in three patients with spine pain were already using medical cannabis [5]. Seventy-nine percent of patients with spine pain believe cannabis could reduce opioid usage [5]. Definitive conclusions regarding the efficacy of medical cannabis in hand and upper extremity conditions require continued investigation [17].
How It Works¶
Clinical Efficacy and Safety: Cannabidiol (CBD) demonstrates an acceptable safety profile and significant promise in reducing immediate peri-operative pain following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair compared to control [14]. When integrated into a postoperative multimodal pain management regimen, CBD does not produce detrimental effects on patient-reported outcomes or long-term functional deficits at 1-year follow-up after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair [1, 2]. In the context of total joint arthroplasty, a synthetic cannabinoid (THC) does not appear to limit opioid intake after primary total knee arthroplasty [9]. Conversely, regular cannabis use may be associated with increased opioid usage in total joint arthroplasty [4]. For peripheral neuropathy, cannabis-based medicines are applicable for treatment [3]; however, they did not provide clinical improvement in pain compared with placebo in patients with traumatic brachial plexus injuries [12]. Further studies are warranted to determine the efficacy and safety of perioperative cannabis use after total hip arthroplasty to guide surgeon counseling [11].
Patient Perception and Utilization: Patients estimate that medical cannabis could treat more than half of their spine pain, with one in three already using it and 79% believing it could reduce opioid usage [5]. In hand and upper-extremity practice, most patients would consider using medical cannabis (80.9%) and perceive it as a safe treatment option for common orthopedic conditions [8]. Large numbers of patients with osteoarthritis of the thumb basal joint would be interested in trialing oral or topical medical cannabis formulations [7]. Despite this interest, cost is identified as a major barrier to use in this population [8].
Surgeon Perspective and Risks: Most survey respondents in the orthopaedic sports medicine community and a majority of sports medicine surgeons believe that cannabidiol (CBD) has a role in postoperative and chronic pain management [6, 10]. Clinicians must note that patients with documented cannabis dependence demonstrate higher odds of developing wound complications following hand and wrist soft-tissue surgical procedures [15].
What the Evidence Shows¶
Rotator Cuff Repair: Cannabidiol (CBD) use after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair demonstrates no deficits in patient-reported outcomes [1] or functional deficits at 1-year follow-up [2]. Buccally absorbed CBD shows significant promise in reducing pain in the immediate peri-operative period compared to control [14] and demonstrates an acceptable safety profile [14]. Consequently, CBD can be considered in a postoperative multimodal pain management regimen without detrimental effects on outcome [1] or long-term detrimental effects [2].
Total Joint Arthroplasty: Regular cannabis use may be associated with increased opioid usage in the context of total joint arthroplasty [4], and cannabis use following total joint arthroplasty is associated with increased risks [13]. A synthetic form of cannabinoid (THC) does not appear to limit opioid intake after primary total knee arthroplasty [9]. No specific guidance in the use of cannabis in perioperative pain management can be suggested based on the association between regular cannabis use and increased opioid usage in total joint arthroplasty [4]. Further studies are warranted to determine the efficacy and safety of perioperative cannabis use after total hip arthroplasty to help guide orthopaedic surgeons in counseling patients [11], and higher-level studies are needed to ascertain the impact of cannabis use for patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty [13].
Spine and Neuropathic Pain: Cannabinoids are applicable for the treatment of peripheral neuropathy [3]. However, there is no clinically important benefit to cannabis-based treatment as an adjuvant to standard multimodal drug therapy for neuropathic pain in traumatic brachial plexus injuries [16]. Cannabis-based medicine did not provide clinical improvement in pain [12] or sleep quality [12] compared with a placebo in patients with traumatic brachial plexus injuries.
Patient Perception and Utilization: Patients estimated medical cannabis could treat more than half of their spine pain [5], and one in three patients with spine pain already uses medical cannabis [5]. Seventy-nine percent of patients with spine pain believe cannabis could reduce opioid usage [5]. Most survey respondents in orthopaedic sports medicine believed that CBD has a role in postoperative and chronic pain management [6], and a majority of sports medicine surgeons believe that CBD has a role in post-operative and chronic pain management [10]. Most patients presenting for hand and upper-extremity complaints would consider using medical cannabis (80.9%) [8] and perceive it as a safe treatment option for common orthopedic conditions [8]. Large numbers of patients with osteoarthritis of the thumb basal joint would be interested in trialing either oral or topical formulations of medical cannabis for treatment of their thumb basal joint pain [7]. Cost is identified as a major barrier to medical cannabis use among patients presenting for hand and upper-extremity complaints [8].
Practical Considerations¶
Patient Perception and Interest: Patients with spine pain estimate that medical cannabis could treat more than half of their symptoms, with one in three already using medical cannabis [5]. Furthermore, 79% of these patients believe cannabis could reduce opioid usage [5]. In the hand and upper-extremity population, 80.9% of patients would consider using medical cannabis, perceiving it as a safe treatment option for common orthopedic conditions [8]. However, cost remains a major barrier to adoption in this group [8]. Similarly, large numbers of patients with osteoarthritis of the thumb basal joint would be interested in trialing oral or topical medical cannabis formulations [7].
Surgeon Consensus: Most survey respondents in the orthopaedic sports medicine community believe that cannabidiol (CBD) has a role in postoperative and chronic pain management [6]. This view is shared by a majority of sports medicine surgeons, who also see a role for CBD in these contexts [10].
Perioperative Outcomes and Risks: Cannabidiol can be considered in a postoperative multimodal pain management regimen without detrimental effects on patient-reported outcomes at 1-year follow-up after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair [1]. This safety profile extends to long-term outcomes after the same procedure [2]. In total joint arthroplasty, cannabis use does not affect outcomes after total hip arthroplasty [11], though further studies are warranted to determine efficacy and safety to guide counseling [11]. Conversely, regular cannabis use may be associated with increased opioid usage in the context of total joint arthroplasty [4]. A synthetic form of cannabinoid (THC) does not appear to limit opioid intake after primary total knee arthroplasty [9]. Cannabis use following total joint arthroplasty is associated with increased risks [13], and higher-level studies are needed to ascertain the impact of cannabis use for these patients [13].
Clinical Applications: Cannabis-based medicines are applicable for the treatment of peripheral neuropathy [3]. Despite the association between regular cannabis use and increased opioid usage in total joint arthroplasty, no specific guidance in the use of cannabis in perioperative pain management can be suggested based on this association alone [4].
Key Evidence¶
- [L2] These findings suggest that CBD can be considered in a postoperative multimodal pain management regimen without detrimental effects on outcome. (10.1177/23259671231222265)
- [L2] These findings suggest that CBD can be considered in a post-operative multimodal pain management regimen without long-term detrimental effects. (10.1177/2325967123s00172)
- [L2] These findings suggest the applicability of cannabis-based medicines for peripheral neuropathy. (10.1016/j.jhsa.2024.09.015)
- [Paper] Regular cannabis use may be associated with increased opioid usage in the context of total joint arthroplasty, and no specific guidance in the use of cannabis in perioperative pain management can be suggested based on this discovery. (10.1097/corr.0000000000003472)
- [L4] Patients estimated medical cannabis could treat more than half of their spine pain, with one in three patients already using medical cannabis, and 79% of patients believe cannabis could reduce opioid usage. (10.1186/s13018-024-04558-6)
- [L4] Most survey respondents believed that CBD has a role in postoperative and chronic pain management. (10.1177/23259671231191766)
- [L4] Large numbers of these patients would be interested in trialing either oral or topical formulations of medical cannabis for treatment of their thumb basal joint pain. (10.1016/j.jhsa.2021.10.018)
- [L3] Most patients presenting for hand and upper-extremity complaints would consider using medical cannabis (80.9%) and perceive it as a safe treatment option for common orthopedic conditions, with cost identified as a major barrier to use. (10.1016/j.jhsg.2022.02.009)
- [L1] Despite enthusiasm for cannabis after orthopaedic surgical procedures, this THC does not appear to limit opioid intake after primary TKA. (10.1016/j.arth.2026.02.047)
- [L4] A majority of sports medicine surgeons believe that CBD has a role in post-operative and chronic pain management. (10.1177/2325967123s00336)
- [L3] Further studies are warranted to determine the efficacy and safety of perioperative cannabis use after THA to help guide orthopaedic surgeons in counseling patients. (10.1016/j.arth.2023.03.040)
- [L1] Cannabis-based medicine did not provide clinical improvement in pain compared with a placebo in patients with traumatic brachial plexus injuries. (10.1097/corr.0000000000003221)
- [L1] Higher-level studies are needed to ascertain the impact of cannabis use for patients undergoing TJA. (10.1016/j.arth.2023.07.008)
- [L1] Buccally absorbed CBD demonstrates an acceptable safety profile and shows significant promise in reduction of pain in the immediate peri-operative period following ARCR compared to the control. (10.1016/j.jse.2023.02.032)
- [L2] Patients with documented cannabis dependence demonstrated higher odds of developing wound complications following hand and wrist soft-tissue surgical procedures. (10.1016/j.jhsg.2026.100948)
- [Paper] This is a commentary on a randomized controlled trial by Kittithamvongs et al., which found no clinically important benefit to cannabis-based treatment as an adjuvant to standard multimodal drug therapy for neuropathic pain in traumatic brachial plexus injuries. (10.1097/corr.0000000000003265)
- [L4] Current evidence demonstrates efficacy and safety for chronic musculoskeletal and neuropathic pain, but definitive conclusions regarding efficacy in hand and upper extremity conditions require continued investigation. (10.1016/j.jhsa.2022.11.008)
References¶
[1] Cannabidiol for Postoperative Pain Control After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair Demonstrates No Deficits in Patient-Reported Outcomes Versus Placebo: 1-Year Follow-up of a Randomized Controlled Trial. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. 2024. DOI: 10.1177/23259671231222265
[2] Poster 186: Cannabidiol for Post-Operative Pain Control after Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair Demonstrates No Functional Deficits at 1-Year. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. 2023. DOI: 10.1177/2325967123s00172
[3] The Use of Cannabinoids in the Treatment of Peripheral Neuropathy and Neuropathic Pain: A Systematic Review. The Journal of Hand Surgery. 2025. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2024.09.015
[4] CORR Insights®: Do Medical and Recreational Marijuana State Laws Impact Trends in Postoperative Opioid Prescriptions Among Patients Who Have Undergone TJA?. Clinical Orthopaedics & Related Research. 2025. DOI: 10.1097/corr.0000000000003472
[5] Perceptions in orthopedic surgery on the use of cannabis in treating pain: a survey of patients with spine pain (POSIT Spine). Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research. 2024. DOI: 10.1186/s13018-024-04558-6
[6] Perceptions and Opinions on Cannabidiol in the Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Community. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. 2023. DOI: 10.1177/23259671231191766
[7] Assessment of Medical Cannabis in Patients With Osteoarthritis of the Thumb Basal Joint. The Journal of Hand Surgery. 2023. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2021.10.018
[8] Hand Surgery Patient Perspectives on Medical Cannabis: A Survey of Over 600 Patients. Journal of Hand Surgery Global Online. 2023. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhsg.2022.02.009
[9] A Synthetic Form of Cannabinoid Does Not Decrease Opioid Use After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Prospective, Randomized, Triple-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. The Journal of Arthroplasty. 2026. DOI: 10.1016/j.arth.2026.02.047
[10] Poster 373: Perceptions & Opinions on Cannabidiol Among Sports Medicine Orthopaedic Surgeons. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. 2023. DOI: 10.1177/2325967123s00336
[11] Cannabis Use Does Not Affect Outcomes After Total Hip Arthroplasty. The Journal of Arthroplasty. 2023. DOI: 10.1016/j.arth.2023.03.040
[12] Does Cannabis-based Medicine Improve Pain and Sleep Quality in Patients With Traumatic Brachial Plexus Injuries? A Triple-blind, Crossover, Randomized Controlled Trial. Clinical Orthopaedics & Related Research. 2024. DOI: 10.1097/corr.0000000000003221
[13] Cannabis Use Following Total Joint Arthroplasty is Associated With Increased Risks? A Meta-Analysis. The Journal of Arthroplasty. 2024. DOI: 10.1016/j.arth.2023.07.008
[14] Effects Of Cannabidiol On Post-Operative Pain Following Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair. Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. 2023. DOI: 10.1016/j.jse.2023.02.032
[15] Is Cannabis Dependence Associated with Postoperative Infections in Hand and Wrist Surgeries?. Journal of Hand Surgery Global Online. 2026. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhsg.2026.100948
[16] CORR Insights®: Does Cannabis-based Medicine Improve Pain and Sleep Quality in Patients With Traumatic Brachial Plexus Injuries? A Triple-blind, Crossover, Randomized Controlled Trial. Clinical Orthopaedics & Related Research. 2024. DOI: 10.1097/corr.0000000000003265
[17] Medical Cannabis in Hand Surgery: A Review of the Current Evidence. The Journal of Hand Surgery. 2023. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2022.11.008