Over the weekend a fantastic article that speaks to a team of chiropractors like we have at the office appeared on my social feeds! On The New York Times Running Newsletter the following article was published about exercise and why some forms of NSAID’s and Painkillers and endurance athletes like runners, swimmers, and cyclists should think first before just dismissing the issue and reaching for ibuprofen or naproxen in most cases.
Taken directly from the article by Gretchen Reynolds:
Taking ibuprofen and related over-the-counter painkillers could have unintended and worrisome consequences for people who vigorously exercise. These popular medicines, known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, work by suppressing inflammation. But according to two new studies, in the process they potentially may also overtax the kidneys during prolonged exercise and reduce muscles’ ability to recover afterward.
NSAID use is especially widespread among athletes in strenuous endurance sports like marathon and ultramarathon running. By some estimates, as many as 75 percent of long-distance runners take ibuprofen or other NSAIDs before, during or after training and races.
Being a marathoner myself I cannot refute the fact that on occasion I do take the label dosage of ibuprofen but understand that in most cases this is a poor choice for dealing with a running issue. While most outsiders think of our office as “just another chiropractic office” we also offer Active Release Technique, commonly referred to as “ART” and in sports like running, cycling, and swimming, we usually offer a huge amount of upside with treatment to all sorts of issues commonly encountered. I have even broken myself to some extent to not use ibuprofen (advil) or naproxen (aleve), which at times is tough with very small injuries that often times only slow me down, but do not keep me from running and going to the gym.
Some other valuable links about “pills” and runners / endurance athletes to check out are the following!
The Pill Problem – The right drug can relieve pain and discomfort—or put you in a world of hurt.
Direct Link: http://www.runnersworld.com/injury-treatment/what-runners-should-know-about-pain-medications
From the article written by Christie Ashwanden:
After winning a 24-hour track run in record time, Stephanie Ehret should have been celebrating. Instead, she was in a Phoenix emergency room, vomiting up a strange substance, which a doctor informed her was part of her digestive-tract lining. Feverish and nauseous, Ehret could barely move. “I’d never felt so bad,” she says. “I was pretty sure I was dying.”
A few hours later, doctors diagnosed the problem—rhabdomyolysis, a potentially fatal precursor to kidney failure. Though dehydration and overexertion contributed to Ehret’s condition, doctors told her that the 12 ibuprofen pills she’d taken during the 24-hour race had pushed her kidneys into the danger zone.
When used properly, over-the-counter pain medications can be a godsend. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) can tame many pains. And non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen can reduce pain and swelling in the first few days following an acute injury like an ankle sprain. The trouble comes, doctors say, when people, like Ehret, misuse these drugs. “A couple of ibuprofens really helped, so I figured more was better,” Ehret says. Indeed, many runners treat anti-inflammatory drugs like “vitamin I,” says pharmacologist Joe Graedon, coauthor of The People’s Pharmacy book series. “They think, I’m putting my body through a lot, so I’ll just dose up on ibuprofen, without appreciating how potentially dangerous this drug can be.”
The Dangers Of Mixing Meds While Running
Direct Link: https://houseofrunning.com/the-dangers-of-mixing-meds-and-running/
From the article written by Laurie Villarreal for House of Running –
I was at the start of the CPC half marathon last weekend when a runner said to me that she had just taken some ibuprofen for a headache. I immediately thought, “oh no, bad idea.” While ibuprofen might help with a headache or with post-race inflammation, it can be too risky to take before a running event. This is something that I never do. Before mixing medication with running, it’s quite important for you to know the risks as well.
Ibuprofen is an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug), which can be particularly risky for runners. NSAIDs also include the common drugs aspirin and naproxen, as well as many others. When taken before or during a run, it can cause harm to your kidneys, increase your blood pressure to risky levels, and put you at greater risk for hyponatremia. No matter the reason for taking an NSAID, it is not often worth the risk.
The best part about being a chiropractor who specializes in Active Release Technique here in South Jersey is that more than likely we can correct most running issues using hands on Myofascial Manipulation coupled with treatments like Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Manipulation and some NATURAL anti-inflammatories to keep you running, biking, swimming, cross fitting, ninjaing and more at a very high level!
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