As of: March 8, 2024, 9:36 a.m
By: Juliane Gutmann
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Nothing is more of a hindrance to training than pain.
To eliminate them, some recreational athletes turn to painkillers.
This has dramatic consequences.
Before going on a hike or soccer training, take a painkiller - quite a few people do this in order to be able to exercise despite a slight strain or osteoarthritis.
The German Pain Society (DGSS) estimates that far more recreational athletes than previously assumed regularly use ibuprofen and the like.
The result: Under the influence of painkillers, you overload your joints and muscles because you can no longer feel the pain as well.
The risk of getting injured increases dramatically.
Recreational athletes are better off staying away from painkillers before training.
© Andrea Warnecke/dpa
Ibuprofen leads to kidney failure, acetylsalicylic acid to heart attacks
There is even a threat to life: The DGSS had 4,000 participants in the Bonn Marathon fill out a questionnaire asking whether they were taking painkillers.
The alarming result: Half of all runners took painkillers before the start
, although only a small proportion actually suffered from pain at the start.
Women resort to painkillers more often than their male fellow athletes, reports the German Pain Society.
The athletes hoped that by taking painkillers they would be able to last longer and without pain.
However, the price was high: Although fewer runners had to stop running because of muscle pain, the dropout rate due to intestinal cramps increased.
And much worse:
Overall, cardiovascular problems, gastrointestinal problems and kidney damage were eight times more common after taking painkillers
.
Intestinal cramps and bleeding occurred seven times more often, and cardiovascular problems around five times more often.
Nine athletes even had to go to hospital
: three because of temporary kidney failure after taking ibuprofen, four because of gastrointestinal bleeding because they had taken painkillers with acetylsalicylic acid and two because of a heart attack (also because they had taken medication with acetylsalicylic acid - aspirin is a preparation from the drug group).
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Beware of this one painkiller
-
it could have fatal consequences for you
.
Painkiller abuse among recreational athletes
The DDGS warns that painkillers are used far too often not only in competitions, but also in recreational sports.
She even says
that we can now talk about painkiller abuse among recreational athletes
.
However, in order to keep your cartilage, bones and muscles fit for a long time, you should never exercise while in pain or taking painkillers.
Athletes should always wait until an injury has healed.
But there are exceptions:
For osteoarthritis patients, it may make sense to take ibuprofen or similar preparations as a precaution
.
However, this must be discussed with the treating doctor.
Be careful with ibuprofen
:
This dosage doubles your risk of heart attack
.
Is ointment with diclofenac better than painkillers?
As the German Press Agency reports, the Lower Saxony Chamber of Pharmacists recommends
magnesium for muscle cramps
and ointment for isolated complaints
.
However, pain ointments should only be used in an emergency, as there is a risk of overloading joints and muscles.
The right diet for osteoarthritis
- with chocolate for joint pain.
jg/dpa