BetterAthlete

Is it safe for athletes to use anti-inflammatories before and during long endurance races and longer training sessions?

All athletes, from professional athlete to beginners, will need pain medication from time to time. Joints get injured, muscles are strained and “overuse" injuries such as shin splints, plantar fasciitis, and tendonitis are common. Athletes, like their non-athletic counterparts, are not immune to headaches and old-fashioned back pain either. NSAIDs have commonly been used by athletes to treat many conditions including acute musculoskeletal injuries, such as a sprained ankle or muscle soreness after an intense workout. However, athletes are beginning to use these anti-inflammatories to prevent injury or pain, especially before and during long endurance races. It is estimated that 30-50% of participants in Ironman races and marathons take NSAIDs. The theory behind this practice is that the prophylactic inhibition of the production of inflammatory mediators will lead to decreased muscle soreness, fatigue, and ultimately shorter recovery times and improved performance.  But is this safe?

  Hydration recommendations have been on a roller coaster ride. Many years ago we were told not to drink. Coaches thought that drinking during competition would cause cramps and decrease your performance. Thank goodness that crazy idea was abandoned before we lost more runners to heat stroke. Unfortunately the pendulum then swung too far the other direction. We were told to drink early and often. It was suggested that we should try to stay ahead of dehydration by drinking copious amounts of water and fluids. This brought up a new problem – hyponatremia. Hyponatremia is an imbalance of the fluid-electrolyte levels in your blood. Basically, your blood sodium levels plummet because of excessive fluid intake. New guidelines suggest drinking only when thirsty. Try to drink only enough to replace lost fluids and consume sports drinks containing sodium rather than plain water.