An injury or illness can threaten to make you miss your tennis match. Whether you are in an important tournament or you just have a friendly volley scheduled with a workout partner, sitting on the sidelines is a disappointment. Taking ibuprofen before tennis can help relieve or prevent symptoms so that you can stick to your schedule, but you should always ask your doctor before taking any medication or exercising with a medical condition.
Tendinitis and Muscle Soreness
Ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication that is available over the counter. It relieves pain and swelling from inflammation, and it may be effective enough to allow you to play tennis despite minor muscle soreness or tendinitis. Tennis elbow is a common overuse injury, and tennis players are also at risk for tendinitis in the knees, wrists and shoulders. You risk making an injury worse by playing through it when you are using ibuprofen to mask the pain.
Additional Uses for Ibuprofen
Ibuprofen before tennis may help prevent exercise headaches, which some people experience regularly during exercise. These headaches are most likely to occur when you run, row, lift weights or play tennis, according to MayoClinic.com. Ibuprofen reduces mild fevers and pain from headaches. If you have a common cold, ibuprofen may help you feel strong enough to play tennis. Ibuprofen is commonly taken to relieve symptoms of arthritis, menstrual pain, toothaches and other painful conditions that can interfere with your tennis game.
Standard Instructions
Adults who take ibuprofen for pain should take 400 milligrams every four to six hours, according to MayoClinic.com. If your doctor approves, you can try taking your dose one to two hours before you play tennis so that it is effective while you are playing. If you often get exercise-induced headaches, an anti-inflammatory medication one hour before working out can prevent them. A physician should supervise children who are taking ibuprofen and advise them on the best dosage and timing.
Considerations
In addition to taking ibuprofen before tennis, including physical therapy, ice and heat treatment and rest in your regimen can help treat tendinitis, according to MayoClinic.com. You can reduce your risk for exercise-induced headaches by avoiding extreme heat. Ibuprofen’s common side effects, such as diarrhea and heartburn, can interfere with your performance on the tennis court. Ibuprofen may interact with various medications, so you should make sure your doctor knows about all of your current medications before taking ibuprofen.
