Taking an ibuprofen before running

Does anyone one do this (with say a banana half hour before starting) for any ailments? been getting tendonitus in the front of my foot on my longer runs. other than potential stomach upset which I'll find out about by trying, any downsides? 

Comments

  • No! Sort the ailments out and you shouldn't have to take anything image
  • Nope. I don't think it's a good idea to take pills before every run. As Jason says - best sort it out.
  • There is lots of research around indicating that NSAID's are bad news for athletes. Quick google - lots and lots similar to below.

     

    http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/01/phys-ed-does-ibuprofen-help-or-hurt-during-exercise/

  • Absolutely no.... If you need an ibuprofen to mask the pain or discomfort of running, then IMHO you shouldn't be running...
  • I'm sure u get the message, smarties r for chomping and ibuprofen etc is for short term inflammation only.
  • Agree with everything already said, and would add that apparently they have an adverse effect on on kidney function too.
  • like any medication.if you use it regulary it wioll start to lose it affect on you..... swo not a good idea....

    I do take one if I am running more than 4 hours or cycling more than 5/6 hours..but even then its not before I start its part way through and as i do not cover these distances every day or even week then its not a major thing

  • only if i'm really hungover!!

    But on a serious note, my GP told me that ibuprofen will only work as an anti-inflammatory if taken as a course over several days - taking the odd one will only act as a painkiller, so you may end up doing more damage to yourself.

  • had half a box during the Outlaw this summer.. Was in agony with my shoulder even before the swim

  • Just to further hammer the point home...

    It's not "a stomach upset" you risk through long term NSAID (ab)use. We're not talking a bit of of stomach ache or having to nip to the toilet. NSAIDs can cause gastric ulceration, and if you dont treat those, they can perforate. Then you're vomitting blood, you have gastric contents leaking into your abdominal cavity leading to peritonitis and you have to be hospitalised.
    I take ibuprofen if I have a headache, of course, like any sane person, so I'm not suggesting it needs to be a class A drug or anything. But you should NOT be taking them on a daily basis, half a banana or not, just to enable you to run a few miles. The side effects are potentially extremely serious and NOT that rare (and I havent mentioned kidney failure or colonitis), so please dont do it.

    Here endeth the lecture.

  • I wonder if the OP has got the message yet?? image

  • always good to cause a reaction. image

    well certainly wasn't about to be knocking back on a daily basis, was more thinking once every other week when I do a LSR . is the reaction for that suggestion as extreme?

     

  • Vicky Yello wrote (see)

    always good to cause a reaction. image

    well certainly wasn't about to be knocking back on a daily basis, was more thinking once every other week when I do a LSR . is the reaction for that suggestion as extreme?

     

    YES!!!

  • It should be! image 

    If you've felt pain on more than one long run, then its more likely a 'chronic-overuse' type injury.  In which case ibuprofen will do NOTHING to fix the problem, as said above you're only masking it.  Get a proper diagnosis & treatment before it gets worse.  

    Inflammation is a natural part of the healing process - it brings all the good stuff (white blood cells, fresh blood etc..) to an injury.   Anti-inflammatories will be impeding that process.   Its not good (and painful) to have too much inflammation, which is why they can be useful in acute situations (upto 72hrs after injury).

  • Good facts re inflammation. I was always of the impression that inflammation was a just a nasty side effect of fighting the problem (like a runny nose when you have a cold). Hence my thoughts that an anti-inflammatories on the odd occasion wouldn't be an issue.

    This thread is quite funny - it's obviously come up before and caused reaction hence the jumping to very incorrect conclusions re my soon to be painkiller junkie status. image

  • Did you read the link I posted?  The point of the story with that is that NSAID's actually impede fitness.... as they get in the way of the natural adaptations that are how we get fitter in the first place.

    So, my answer was nothing to do with impeding death from drug overdoses and more to do with the fact that it fights your fitness rather than helping it when you go for a long run.

    image

  • the heading did state taking them before running....atno time did you say the ccassional run when in pain. or in pain and wanting to race.you just said when running......

    so not sure that people jumped to conclusions as I think it was natural to assume that you run several times a week

  • Vicky don't take Ibuprofen, if you have an inflammation or niggle use Voltarol Emugel, my doc recommended it. I use it occasionally when I get sore joints - it really works! Rub it into the affected area a couple of times a day & suddenly you realise it doesn't feel as bad. Worth a try but overuse means you have an underlying problem that needs sorting properly, I don't see a problem with occasional use, I'm old & get niggles often! image

  • I wouldn't take them to deal with an injury.



    I asked this question a few years ago on the forum. I had a 10mile race with impacted wisdom teeth. I was in serious pain and couldn't even concentrate on driving, let alone run or think about timings and pacings. Generally they flare up every few months and a take pills for a week until the pain goes away.



    So the short answer is taking ibuprofen for a short period for temporary non running induced pain hasn't caused me any issues.
  • Thank for for advice people - all appreciated.

  • I'll use ibuprofen (or for more serious injuries diclofenac - Voltarol is the main trade name) for a few days for an acute injury, but my basic rule is that if I need to take an NSAID for a running-induced injury, then I won't run. So, I can run when I've taken a couple of aspirin for a headache, but not take pills to dampen pain so I can run. Pain is there for a reason; people born without the ability to feel pain often don't live to be adults - because they will e.g. walk home on their broken femur...

    There's conflicting evidence on whether NSAIDs used short-term after acute injury are helpful (reduce pain and excessive inflammation) or possibly unhelpful (prevent migration/activation of cells important for remodelling) regarding long-term healing, but there is evidence they are likely to be harmful if used long term prophylactically (except they may have a positive effect on healing of injuries in people with long-term increases in inflammatory markers). It's complicated.

  • I've noticed when I'm on a marathon that towards the end I see lots of discarded empty pill packs

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