Are you an athlete experiencing soreness and inflammation? Is your first instinct to reach for NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories) to ease the pain and recover?
Research shows that 60% of runners used NSAIDS during training and recovery. Using this medication could be masking signs of injury and hindering your performance, so it might be time to try a more holistic approach.
Soreness is normal, but it can cause inflammation. Muscle soreness associated with exercise—known as delayed onset muscle soreness—is a result of inflammation from muscle metabolism. The by-product of soreness from a strenuous workout is the tearing of microscopic holes in our muscles. After the workout, your body will begin to rebuild and strengthen its muscles. The immune system responds to these micro tears by flooding the overworked area with inflammatory cells.
Some evidence also suggests that while ibuprofen might help to ease aches and pains, it could also interfere with your body’s normal routine of run/heal/repeat. For one thing, the drug may hamper your kidneys’ ability to clear out the by-products of your body’s healing process, potentially leading to a buildup of oxidative stress. It could also erase some of the training benefits that happen as a result of going through the natural adaptive process.
If you are struggling with DOMS and would like to take a holistic approach, contact our office today.
