Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs are the most prescribed medications for treating conditions such as arthritis. Most people are familiar with over-the-counter, non-prescription NSAIDs, such as aspirin and ibuprofen. NSAIDs are more than just pain relievers. They also help reduce inflammation and lower fevers. They prevent blood from clotting, which is good in some cases but not so beneficial in others. NSAIDs are commonly used in sports. They allow athletes to recover from sport injuries and hence return to form quicker that if the injured was allowed to rest. However, concern has been raised on athletes about the use of these drugs. Data from many sports have consistently demonstrated that many athletes self-administer NSAIDs prior to athletic participation to prevent pain and inflammation before it occurs. However inflammatory response is one of the body’s natural responses to actually increase healing and hence when athletes …show more content…
Therefore when elite sporting athletes are using these drugs they an advantage over their …show more content…
The pressure is extremely high at the elite level as athletes relay on their talents and hard work in order to live a life comfortable life and support their families with money earned from playing a sport. However if injuries were to affect the athlete it could possibly end his career in that sport hence the athlete would lose his job as he is not able to perform at such a high level anymore. Due to the previously stated reasons elite sporting athletes feel the need to take NSAIDs constantly in order to avoid injuries and improve their personal performance over other