Effect of Ibuprofen Use on Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness of the Elbow Flexors By: Jayd M. Grossman, Brent L. Arnold, David H. Perrin, and David M. Kahler * Grossman, J.M., Arnold, B.A., Perrin, D.H., & Kahler, D.M. (1995). Effect of ibuprofen on pain, decreased range of motion, and decreased strength associated with delayed onset muscle soreness of the elbow flexors. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation , 4:253-263. ***Note: Figures may be missing from this format of the document Abstract: This study evaluated the effectiveness of ibuprofen in treating delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) of the elbow flexors when taken prior to and following exercise. Twenty subjects receive either 2,400 mg/day ibuprofen or a placebo four times per day. Subjects performed intense eccentric exercise of the elbow flexors to elicit DOMS. Concentric and eccentric peak torque production against an isokinetic resistance of 0.52 rad/s, range of motion at the elbow, and subjective soreness of the elbow flexors were measured. ANOVA indicated no significant group- by-time interaction for concentric peak torque, eccentric peak torque, or pain. A significant interaction was revealed for range of motion. There was a significant difference within each group's ROM but no interaction between groups. It was concluded that the use of 2,400 mg/day ibuprofen prior to and following intense eccentric exercise was no more effective than a placebo in treating DOMS of the elbow flexors. Article: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are increasingly being utilized as a therapeutic modality to treat athletic injuries. The most common athletic injuries, that is, sprains, strains, and contusions, are frequently characterized by inflammation and pain, and NSAIDs are often used to minimize these characteristics. Because NSAIDs act primarily through the inhibition of an enzyme-mediated pathway of prostaglandin production, they are used to alter the inflammatory response underlying prostaglandin synthesis (18). The NSAID ibuprofen, in addition to altering prostaglandin production, also exhibits analgesic effects (13, 18, 19) and is used for mild pain relief. While not as potent as some of the NSAIDs in the same class, such as naproxen (Naprosyn), ibuprofen is an effective anti-inflammatory agent because it inhibits cyclo-oxygenase activity (1, 3, 14, 18, 20). Cyclo-oxygenase is the primary mediator in the metabolism of arachidonic acid, a phospholipid present in cell membranes that is released during cell membrane disruption. This metabolic process yields prostaglandins as a product (4, 18). Prostaglandins, along with another cyclo-oxygenase product, prostacyclin, play the primary roles in inflammation as both are potent vasodilators and pain- producing agents (18). * Jayd M. Grossman was a student at the University of Virginia at the time of this study and is presently with the Department of Sports Medicine, University of Cincinnati. Brent L. Arnold and David H. Perrin are with the Athletic Training/Sports Medicine Laboratory, Curry School of Education, and David M. Kahler is with the Department of Orthopaedics, Health Sciences Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903. Direct correspondence to David H. Perrin, Memorial Gymnasium, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903.