Cannabis and the endocannabinoid system in OA pain and recovery after knee replacement
Official title: Cannabis Use Impact on Pain and Recovery Post-Surgery - The Role of the Endocannabinoid System
Funded at University of Colorado Denver · NIH-11406070 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant explores how cannabis use and the body’s endocannabinoid system influence inflammatory knee pain before and after knee replacement surgery, with hopes of guiding better pain treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 5, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,489,449 |
| NIH project number | 5RM1NS140316-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11406070 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 and older undergoing total knee arthroplasty, including both cannabis users and non-users, with acute inflammatory pain.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not undergoing knee surgery or not experiencing inflammatory pain related to OA may not benefit.
What this research studies
If you have osteoarthritis and are considering knee replacement, this project looks at how cannabis use may change pain signaling and recovery after surgery. Researchers will combine clinical observations of patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty with animal studies to understand endocannabinoid system changes during chronic pain, acute post-surgical pain, and six-month recovery. The goal is to see whether a healthy endocannabinoid system helps resolve inflammatory pain and improve recovery after surgery. The study will track cannabis users and non-users to see how their pain and healing differ over time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could lead to personalized pain management strategies around cannabis use and the endocannabinoid system to improve recovery after knee surgery.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal studies support a link between the endocannabinoid system and pain, but this project uniquely integrates human observational data with preclinical models.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Colorado Denver
Aurora, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ingram, Susan L — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Ingram, Susan L
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.