The application of ketamine in pain management for sports injuries and other medical conditions - literature review
Introduction: Ketamine is a well-established dissociative anesthetic. The discovery of its NMDA receptor antagonism revealed new potential applications in pain management. It has demonstrated promise as an analgesic for the treatment of chronic pain and has proven useful in managing acute pain, suc...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Quality in Sport |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://apcz.umk.pl/QS/article/view/61502 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849704648463613952 |
|---|---|
| author | Katarzyna Nowicka Wiktor Klimek Marta Ignatiuk-Chilkiewicz Monika Olszanska Dominika Hakało Joanna Kałuska Tomasz Suprun Aleksandra Sokół Klaudia Mościszko Maria Majewska |
| author_facet | Katarzyna Nowicka Wiktor Klimek Marta Ignatiuk-Chilkiewicz Monika Olszanska Dominika Hakało Joanna Kałuska Tomasz Suprun Aleksandra Sokół Klaudia Mościszko Maria Majewska |
| author_sort | Katarzyna Nowicka |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction: Ketamine is a well-established dissociative anesthetic. The discovery of its NMDA receptor antagonism revealed new potential applications in pain management. It has demonstrated promise as an analgesic for the treatment of chronic pain and has proven useful in managing acute pain, such as that resulting from sports injuries or in pediatric care settings. It is also a valuable alternative for patients who have not responded well to traditional pain medications.
Materials and methods: This article reviews promising role of ketamine in pain management, especially in chronic or cancer pain, incorporating data from Google Scholar, PubMed, using keywords such as „ketamine”,„chronic pain”, „acute pain”, „pain management”.
Summary: Current evidence supports the use of subanesthetic ketamine as an effective option for acute pain management across various clinical settings, with potential to reduce opioid dependence. Its unique antidepressant properties also make it beneficial for chronic pain patients, especially those with comorbid depression. In conditions like CRPS and sickle cell disease, low-dose ketamine has shown promising results in improving pain and function. However, its effectiveness in fibromyalgia appears limited, with short-term infusions offering only temporary relief. The pediatric population may particularly benefit from ketamine’s rapid, intranasal administration, though dosing and safety must be carefully considered. While early findings are encouraging, more research is needed to establish optimal protocols and to explore its role in managing sport-related injuries.
Conclusions: Ketamine finds various applications in pain therapy and is a promising medication due to its efficacy in both chronic and acute pain management. However, further research is necessary to precisely determine the therapeutic dosage ranges, the long-term effects of its use, and the risk of addiction associated with its administration.
|
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-99586d5f174247ccb92b1898564d734d |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2450-3118 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Quality in Sport |
| spelling | doaj-art-99586d5f174247ccb92b1898564d734d2025-08-20T03:16:42ZengNicolaus Copernicus University in ToruńQuality in Sport2450-31182025-07-014310.12775/QS.2025.43.61502The application of ketamine in pain management for sports injuries and other medical conditions - literature reviewKatarzyna Nowicka0https://orcid.org/0009-0006-5472-9157Wiktor Klimek1https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6271-799XMarta Ignatiuk-Chilkiewicz2https://orcid.org/0009-0005-7002-0829Monika Olszanska3https://orcid.org/0009-0006-2511-505XDominika Hakało4https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9363-8747Joanna Kałuska5https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3500-9494Tomasz Suprun6https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5610-9273Aleksandra Sokół7https://orcid.org/0009-0008-9707-9179Klaudia Mościszko8https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4919-6898Maria Majewska9https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3236-8950Regional Health Center in Kartuzy, Ceynowy 7, 83-300 KartuzyRegional Health Center in Kartuzy, Ceynowy 7, 83-300 KartuzyUniversity Clinical Hospital in Bialystok ul. M. C. Skłodowskiej 24a, 15-276 Białystok, PolandMedical University of BialystokUniversity Clinical Hospital in Bialystok ul. M. C. Skłodowskiej 24a, 15-276 Białystok, PolandIndependent Public Healthcare Complex in Minsk Mazowiecki, Szpitalna 37, 05-300 Minsk MazowieckiUniversity of Dundee, Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN, Scotland, UKUniversity Clinical Hospital in Bialystok ul. M. C. Skłodowskiej 24a, 15-276 Białystok, PolandUniversity Clinical Hospital in Bialystok ul. M. C. Skłodowskiej 24a, 15-276 Białystok, PolandUniversity Clinical Hospital in Bialystok ul. M. C. Skłodowskiej 24a, 15-276 Białystok, Poland Introduction: Ketamine is a well-established dissociative anesthetic. The discovery of its NMDA receptor antagonism revealed new potential applications in pain management. It has demonstrated promise as an analgesic for the treatment of chronic pain and has proven useful in managing acute pain, such as that resulting from sports injuries or in pediatric care settings. It is also a valuable alternative for patients who have not responded well to traditional pain medications. Materials and methods: This article reviews promising role of ketamine in pain management, especially in chronic or cancer pain, incorporating data from Google Scholar, PubMed, using keywords such as „ketamine”,„chronic pain”, „acute pain”, „pain management”. Summary: Current evidence supports the use of subanesthetic ketamine as an effective option for acute pain management across various clinical settings, with potential to reduce opioid dependence. Its unique antidepressant properties also make it beneficial for chronic pain patients, especially those with comorbid depression. In conditions like CRPS and sickle cell disease, low-dose ketamine has shown promising results in improving pain and function. However, its effectiveness in fibromyalgia appears limited, with short-term infusions offering only temporary relief. The pediatric population may particularly benefit from ketamine’s rapid, intranasal administration, though dosing and safety must be carefully considered. While early findings are encouraging, more research is needed to establish optimal protocols and to explore its role in managing sport-related injuries. Conclusions: Ketamine finds various applications in pain therapy and is a promising medication due to its efficacy in both chronic and acute pain management. However, further research is necessary to precisely determine the therapeutic dosage ranges, the long-term effects of its use, and the risk of addiction associated with its administration. https://apcz.umk.pl/QS/article/view/61502ketaminepain managementchronic painacute pain |
| spellingShingle | Katarzyna Nowicka Wiktor Klimek Marta Ignatiuk-Chilkiewicz Monika Olszanska Dominika Hakało Joanna Kałuska Tomasz Suprun Aleksandra Sokół Klaudia Mościszko Maria Majewska The application of ketamine in pain management for sports injuries and other medical conditions - literature review Quality in Sport ketamine pain management chronic pain acute pain |
| title | The application of ketamine in pain management for sports injuries and other medical conditions - literature review |
| title_full | The application of ketamine in pain management for sports injuries and other medical conditions - literature review |
| title_fullStr | The application of ketamine in pain management for sports injuries and other medical conditions - literature review |
| title_full_unstemmed | The application of ketamine in pain management for sports injuries and other medical conditions - literature review |
| title_short | The application of ketamine in pain management for sports injuries and other medical conditions - literature review |
| title_sort | application of ketamine in pain management for sports injuries and other medical conditions literature review |
| topic | ketamine pain management chronic pain acute pain |
| url | https://apcz.umk.pl/QS/article/view/61502 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT katarzynanowicka theapplicationofketamineinpainmanagementforsportsinjuriesandothermedicalconditionsliteraturereview AT wiktorklimek theapplicationofketamineinpainmanagementforsportsinjuriesandothermedicalconditionsliteraturereview AT martaignatiukchilkiewicz theapplicationofketamineinpainmanagementforsportsinjuriesandothermedicalconditionsliteraturereview AT monikaolszanska theapplicationofketamineinpainmanagementforsportsinjuriesandothermedicalconditionsliteraturereview AT dominikahakało theapplicationofketamineinpainmanagementforsportsinjuriesandothermedicalconditionsliteraturereview AT joannakałuska theapplicationofketamineinpainmanagementforsportsinjuriesandothermedicalconditionsliteraturereview AT tomaszsuprun theapplicationofketamineinpainmanagementforsportsinjuriesandothermedicalconditionsliteraturereview AT aleksandrasokoł theapplicationofketamineinpainmanagementforsportsinjuriesandothermedicalconditionsliteraturereview AT klaudiamosciszko theapplicationofketamineinpainmanagementforsportsinjuriesandothermedicalconditionsliteraturereview AT mariamajewska theapplicationofketamineinpainmanagementforsportsinjuriesandothermedicalconditionsliteraturereview AT katarzynanowicka applicationofketamineinpainmanagementforsportsinjuriesandothermedicalconditionsliteraturereview AT wiktorklimek applicationofketamineinpainmanagementforsportsinjuriesandothermedicalconditionsliteraturereview AT martaignatiukchilkiewicz applicationofketamineinpainmanagementforsportsinjuriesandothermedicalconditionsliteraturereview AT monikaolszanska applicationofketamineinpainmanagementforsportsinjuriesandothermedicalconditionsliteraturereview AT dominikahakało applicationofketamineinpainmanagementforsportsinjuriesandothermedicalconditionsliteraturereview AT joannakałuska applicationofketamineinpainmanagementforsportsinjuriesandothermedicalconditionsliteraturereview AT tomaszsuprun applicationofketamineinpainmanagementforsportsinjuriesandothermedicalconditionsliteraturereview AT aleksandrasokoł applicationofketamineinpainmanagementforsportsinjuriesandothermedicalconditionsliteraturereview AT klaudiamosciszko applicationofketamineinpainmanagementforsportsinjuriesandothermedicalconditionsliteraturereview AT mariamajewska applicationofketamineinpainmanagementforsportsinjuriesandothermedicalconditionsliteraturereview |