Question for you Old Farts.....

FatOldManMN

Do you take Ibuprofen before or after your workout? :blushing:

concordancia

If you take it before, you risk pushing yourself too hard and causing actual injury.

I take aleve before I go to bed, if at all. It helps me get a better night's sleep so that my body can heal itself.

LouSmorals

If my legs feel heavy will take before I run.

AllonsYtotheTardis

I don't take pain killers before a work out. It can mask pain signals that I actually need to pay attention to.

Afterwards, Aleve if i need it.

michael1976_ca

who you calling old farts lol after of course

SingingSingleTracker

Do you take Ibuprofen before or after your workout? :blushing:

Neither. It's bad for you.

Instead: Proper warm up, workout, proper cool down. Stretch and use the foam roller in the evening for a 10 minute "rub out the issues" session.

Proper nutrition and recovery. No need for medicinal masking agents. Well, there is wine and beer....

handyrunner

I've taken Aleve before a race

mjudd1990

I'd say after, mainly because taking an NSAID and then sweating and getting dehydrated can wreak havoc on your kidneys (NSAID induced nephropathy). If you insist on taking it before, be sure you are well hydrated to begin with, and continue drinking water during the workout.

BigGuy47

After and only when it's absolutely necessary.

GiddyupTim

I have taken it before exercise only on rare occasions because I had plantar fasciitis.
In general, I am wary of too much reliance on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS).
I know that at one time the idea behind using them was that inflammation was bad, and inhibited healing, and therefore should be treated. But I suspect that idea was not well thought out. Yes, inflammation could seem to be harmful when there was a wound. But, it probably is not when one has a sterile, closed injury. Why would the body produce inflammation in a closed injury if it wasn't helping the healing? That would make no sense.
Now, ibuprofen is not as strongly anti-inflammatory as aspirin. But it is still anti-inflammatory. So, therefore, I just avoid it as much as I can in the hopes that whatever is hurting will heal faster and better if I do not use it.
So, sure, I use ibuprofen. But, i usually wait to be sure that I really need help with the pain first. That generally means waiting until after the exercise.
And, of course, if the pain is so bad that you need ibuprofen to get through the activity, you probably need to rethink engaging in that activity.
Yes, I am an old fart. I freely admit it.

FatOldManMN

Great feedback and suggestions.

Thanks!!

harvo

I know when I was lifting in the am and cardio at lunch drinking whey protein seemed to help my muscles from hurting so bad.

SexY_ret1REE57

I also take Aleve in the evening after dinner. I also rub my knees in Icy Hot. That way I have a restful evening and awake less sore and ready to complete my run in the morning.

chrisrc131

Are you talking about for injury, or just to deal with normal muscle soreness? You really shouldn't be taking it for the later.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/01/phys-ed-does-ibuprofen-help-or-hurt-during-exercise/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

I do take it sometimes to knock down the level of a headache before working out, but that's about it.

BarbellApprentice

Yea, I don't take ibuprofen. I am finding with age that I can still make performance gains and workout with great intensity. The difference between now and youth is that my body is just more sensitive. So I can't neglect proper warm up, mobility, stretching, form, recovery, sleep, and get away with it for very long.

sijomial

Old fart checking in....

Only take it when you need it - not as part of an exercise routine. Why in particular are you taking it?

seeingthelight

I used to take Advil 3 times a day due to muscle and joint pain. Then my NP suggested trying Fish oil and it really helped the pain and I only needed Advil occasionaly. I added Osteo Biflex last spring after a knee injury and feel like I am pain free most of the time now. Occasionally I have some soreness after a workout but I try warming up and then stretching to ease it or ice before I resort to Advil. Remember to warm up before every work-out and to stretch after every workout and to stay active. Good luck.

Sharonks

I try to avoid either. If you are getting normal soreness then after. Sometimes just taking a day off can help. If I overworked muscles I try to do some gentle stretching and moderate walking throughout the day to help them loosen up. If you are getting joint pain (something us OFs often get) then changing how you are doing things that hurt may be good. It may even mean you need to do something completely different. For example, I have severe shoulder problems so I no longer swim. I manage to lift although squatting with a bar can be a little tough sometimes because my shoulders can't bend and rotate the way they ought to so they can hold the bar.

FatOldManMN

Lower back discomfort.

fleetzz

Bad for the heart, bad for the kidneys, bad for the stomach, great for pain. Higher risk of MI.

Is it worth it? I use it occasionally, but not for exercise related pain and I use high doses (800mg). But you should check w/ your doc to see if it is appropriate for you.

FatOldManMN

Now that I've loosened up a bit, I'm a lot less prone to aches and pains. So activity, diet and exercise are the keys.

rileyes

http://www.berkeleywellness.com/fitness/exercise/article/ibuprofen-exercise

PopeyeCT

FatOldManMN wrote: »

Do you take Ibuprofen before or after your workout? :blushing:

I generally take a handful of ibuprofen and acetaminophen after a hard workout.

mwyvr

53 here. I avoid using Ibuprophen unless I actually injure myself... Which means not in many months despite running many hundreds of kilometres.

Instead of relying on a NSAID, try building up slowly into your exercise routine. Warm up. Stretch afterwards. Don't try to conquer Rome in one day.

You might consider a lower carb, higher fat diet. That and exercise leaves many feeling years younger due to reduced inflammation, among other benefits.

kindrabbit

SingingSingleTracker wrote: »

Do you take Ibuprofen before or after your workout? :blushing:

Neither. It's bad for you.

Instead: Proper warm up, workout, proper cool down. Stretch and use the foam roller in the evening for a 10 minute "rub out the issues" session.

Proper nutrition and recovery. No need for medicinal masking agents. Well, there is wine and beer....

This. I make sure I have a proper warm up and cool down. I have a cold shower and a protein shake. No pain relief.

FatOldManMN

I rarely use it lately because I'm not as stiff as when I first started getting back in condition. I make sure I stretch before each workout....if I don't; I pay the price.

BrownSheep

When you said "old farts," I know you were talking to me. I will be 49 years old next week! LOL!!!

I do. Most mornings I take 2 ibuprofen to help with my joint aches. I get to the gym when it opens at 5:30am. I am a treadmill addict and make sure I stretch before I put in an hour+ on the treadmill. When I do my outdoor walks, I take 2 also. I think it helps. I take a good multivitamin. I try to also take an Omega 3 supplement, when I remember. However, at my age . . . memory often fails!!!

Smiles,
Em aka BrownSheep

BrownSheep

FatOldManMN wrote: »

I rarely use it lately because I'm not as stiff as when I first started getting back in condition. I make sure I stretch before each workout....if I don't; I pay the price.

I hear you on that stretching. If I do not stretch first, I get real tightness in my hamstrings and calves.

BrownSheep

mwyvr wrote: »

53 here. I avoid using Ibuprophen unless I actually injure myself... Which means not in many months despite running many hundreds of kilometres.

Instead of relying on a NSAID, try building up slowly into your exercise routine. Warm up. Stretch afterwards. Don't try to conquer Rome in one day.

You might consider a lower carb, higher fat diet. That and exercise leaves many feeling years younger due to reduced inflammation, among other benefits.

Do you think that Omega 3 supplements help in the same way adding fat to the diet does. I eat a very low fat diet. Thanks for your thoughts.

BrownSheep

fleetzz wrote: »

Bad for the heart, bad for the kidneys, bad for the stomach, great for pain. Higher risk of MI.

Is it worth it? I use it occasionally, but not for exercise related pain and I use high doses (800mg). But you should check w/ your doc to see if it is appropriate for you.

Is MI=myocardial infarction?

BrownSheep

This thread is making me rethink my use of ibuprofen. I get my liver checked regularly due to other meds I am on and my liver function is fine. However, I think I will try some days without the ibuprofen and see how I feel.