Pain Relievers and Running

  When I tore my meniscus a few years back, a couple of Aleve every day kept me functioning, working with training clients five hours a day, and, of course, my own workouts.
    Forgoing surgery, "K Tape," swimming, and a couple of visits with my sports therapist kept me going, along with my ibuprofen. So I'd remember, I'd take my Aleve first thing in the morning with my vitamins.
     That was a mistake. When I had my annual physical a couple of months later, the only number slightly skewered was the liver enzymes. The doctor told me to go "cold turkey" on any ibuprofen for three months, and re-take the blood test. While my knees were much creakier, my liver numbers had returned to normal.
     As much as I love running and want to remain somewhat relevant as a runner, I realize a fully operating liver as more important. I will still take Aleve (and it really does help!), but only one tablet when I'm really suffering ( I have arthritis in both knees), and and always with food.
    My mistake wasn't the medication as much as taking it on an empty stomach - just stupid!
    A recent column by Dr. Robert Schmerling of Harvard College addressed ibuprofen and exercise.
In his "Ask The Harvard Experts" column, Dr. Schmerling acknowledged that over-the-counter medications like Aleve, Advil, and Motrin can definitely reduce pain and inflammation in runners and other athletes, and also lower body temperatures when someone has a fever.
    "The safety profile is quite good," the Harvard Medical School Associate Professor of Medicine
explained, and that's why they are available over the counter.
     However, like any other drug, you have to be careful. Side effects Dr. Schmerling listed include
upset stomach, intestinal bleeding, kidney injury, and and increased heart attack risk.
     He acknowledged that many marathoners and other endurance athletes take these medications before a workout to mask existing aches and pains and improve performance.
   However, marathoners and and ultra-marathoners are prone to dehydration and kidney damage, which can be exasperated with these drugs, particularly if taken during the midst of a competition .
   Bottom line, If you are taking any of these drugs, make sure you are going for regular blood tests, and stay away if you have any history of stomach ulcers or kidney disease. When in doubt, check with your doctor.
    Aleve has kept me running many times when I probably shouldn't have, and really eases my knee pain in a hard workout. As the doctor says, just be sensible, something that is counter-intuitive to long-distance runners!