Nutrition for Running

Injury
What about NSAIDs?
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In sport, it’s very common to use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen as the
first line of defense against acute injury, pain, and inflammation. They come over the counter, docs prescribe
them readily, and they reduce pain.
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Yet new research suggests in some cases, NSAIDs might actually hinder injury healing in the mid-term.
Celebrex, for example, reduced ligament strength in rats recovering from injury by about 32%. In another
study, the same thing happened with both Celebrex and Indocin.
Not all studies show these effects, but enough of them do to cause some concern. That’s why we recommend
moderating NSAID use in acute injury or muscle pain.
Beyond interfering with ligament healing, NSAIDs also may interfere with muscle strain healing, weight
training adaptation, and bone healing in the mid-term. Of course, there are also the side effects (such as GI
bleeding with many types of NSAIDs). Again, the data are mixed, but suggest that NSAIDs should be used
sparingly.
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Use caution when taking NSAIDs or any other anti-inflammatories for pain management during acute injury.
In some cases the risks (GI problems, reduced healing rates, incomplete healing prognosis) may outweigh the
benefits (pain management).