Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory therapy after eccentric exercise in healthy older individuals

Aging is associated with greater susceptibility to muscle injury and soreness after exercise. Although elderly persons regularly consume nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), it is not clear that NSAIDs alleviate muscle dysfunction and/or inflammation following injurious exercise.

In this double-blind crossover study, 10 men and 5 women (aged 60 +/- 2 years, mean +/- SE) consumed naproxen sodium or placebo for 10 days after performing 64 unilateral eccentric (ECC) knee extensions using 75% of the ECC 1-repetition maximum. Strength was measured before, 3 days after, and 10 days after each bout. Injury and soreness were assessed using magnetic resonance images of m. quadriceps femoris (QF) and a visual analog scale.

Three days after exercise, concentric strength loss was greater for placebo (-32 +/- 9%) than NSAID (-6 +/- 8%; p =.0064). Likewise, isometric strength declined less for NSAID than placebo (-12 +/- 7% vs -24 +/- 4%; p =.0213), and thigh soreness while rising from a chair was greater for placebo (p < or =.0393) than NSAID (43 +/- 7 mm vs 26 +/- 7 mm). QF cross-sectional area (cm(2)) showing elevated T(2) was 27% and 35% greater (p < or =.0096) for placebo on Days 3 and 10, respectively.

Naproxen sodium attenuated muscle injury, strength loss, and soreness following ECC exercise in older individuals and may be beneficial during the early stages of increased physical activity.