Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 15, 2025
Author Spotlight: Treating Knee Osteoarthritis with Tuina - A New Perspective
Published on: January 12, 2024
Ibuprofen, Flurbiprofen or Naproxen Sodium Minimally Influences Musculoskeletal Adaptations to Treadmill Exercise in
Brandon M Roberts1,2, Alyssa V Geddis1, Alexandra Ciuciu3
1Military Performance Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, Massachusetts, USA.
Background:
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may influence musculoskeletal health. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of three different NSAIDS: naproxen sodium, ibuprofen, flurbiprofen or a placebo on musculoskeletal adaptations in rodents with or without 6 weeks of aerobic exercise.
Methods:
Nine-week-old male Wistar rats (n = 80) were randomized to either exercise (EX) or no-exercise control (CON) conditions and treated with naproxen, ibuprofen (IBU), flurbiprofen (FLU) or placebo (PLA). For exercise, rats ran 5 days per week for 6 weeks at a 5% incline on a motorized treadmill for 30 min. Three-point bending (3 PB) and microcomputed tomography (microCT) were measured in the femur. Anabolic muscle signalling pathways were measured in the quadriceps. Muscle fibre cross-sectional area (CSA) and fibre type were measured in the soleus. Data were analysed using a two-way ANOVA for treatment by condition and is visualized as mean ± standard deviation.
Results:
For 3 PB, there was an exercise effect for ultimate bending energy, postyield energy, toughness, postyield toughness, postyield displacement, ultimate strain and postyield strain (all, p < 0.05). There was a treatment by condition effect for Young's Modulus, where placebo exercise was less than placebo control (PLA EX: 3256.44 ± 463.41 MPa, PLA CON: 4849.94 ± 836.70 MPa, p < 0.05). For microCT, there was a treatment by condition effect for trabecular thickness (p = 0.047) and the IBU EX group increased thickness compared with the IBU CON group (IBU EX: 0.133 ± 0.011 mm, IBU CON: 0.121 ± 0.007 mm, p = 0.027). In the quadriceps, for myosin heavy chain abundance, there was a treatment by condition effect (p = 0.046) and ibuprofen exercise was lower than ibuprofen control (IBU EX: 0.636 ± 0.513 AU, IBU CON: 1.81 ± 1.012 AU, p = 0.016). There was no treatment by condition effect for phosphorylation of the AKT, AMPK or ERK pathways (all, p > 0.05). In the soleus, there was no treatment by condition effect for fibre type percentage or muscle CSA (p > 0.05).
Conclusions:
NSAIDs did not have a strong negative or positive effect on musculoskeletal adaptations to 6 weeks of treadmill running in young healthy male rodents.
Insights
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) showed no significant impact on musculoskeletal adaptations in rodents undergoing aerobic exercise. Further research is needed to fully understand NSAID effects on exercise-induced bone and muscle changes.
Area of Science:
- Musculoskeletal Health
- Exercise Physiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used and may affect musculoskeletal health.
- Understanding NSAID effects on exercise adaptations is crucial for athletes and clinicians.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effects of naproxen sodium, ibuprofen, and flurbiprofen versus placebo on musculoskeletal adaptations.
- To investigate these effects in rodents with and without a 6-week aerobic exercise regimen.
Main Methods:
- Male Wistar rats were randomized into exercise (EX) and control (CON) groups.
- Animals received naproxen, ibuprofen (IBU), flurbiprofen (FLU), or placebo (PLA) for 6 weeks.
- Musculoskeletal properties (femur 3-point bending, microCT), muscle signaling, and soleus muscle characteristics were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Exercise positively impacted several femur biomechanical properties.
- A significant interaction effect showed ibuprofen exercise increased trabecular thickness compared to ibuprofen control.
- Ibuprofen exercise also reduced quadriceps myosin heavy chain abundance compared to control.
Conclusions:
- NSAIDs did not demonstrate a strong negative or positive effect on most musculoskeletal adaptations to 6 weeks of treadmill running.
- Specific effects of ibuprofen on bone and muscle were observed, warranting further investigation.
