Pain medication use in youth athletes: A cross‐sectional study of 466 youth handball players

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the 4‐week prevalence of pain medication use in youth athletes, the type of medication used, the reasons for use, and from where the athletes obtained the medication. 466 handball players (aged 14‐18) were surveyed about their pain medication use within the preceding 4 weeks. The questionnaire consisted of 3 parts: type of pain medication used (if any; non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), acetaminophen/paracetamol, and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA)), the reasons for use, and from where it was obtained. 190 players (41% [95% CI 36%‐45%]) reported pain medication use within the last 4 weeks. Paracetamol was the most reported type (n = 157, 83% [95% CI 77%‐88%]), followed by NSAIDs (n = 98, 52% [95% CI 44%‐59%]); 67 reported “injury‐related reasons” for their use, and most participants reported to obtain the pain medication via “from home or bought over‐the‐counter (OTC)” (n = 167, 88% [95% CI 82%‐92%]). Pain medication use in youth handball players is common, particularly among female players, and a substantial proportion of the overall use is due to injury‐related reasons. The vast majority of the players got their pain medication from home or purchased it OTC. Further research is needed to comprehend these patterns of use, including the long‐term use.

Prevalence, frequency, adverse events, and reasons for analgesic use in youth athletes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 44,381 athletes

“…11,41 Self-medication and lack of knowledge regarding adverse effects and consequences of prolonged use 5,13,42 may be important contributors to this finding. The extent of self-medication practices is supported by Sari and Pedersen et al 4 reporting that almost 90 % of youth elite handball players obtained analgesics from home or bought it over-the-counter, while Tricker et al 13 reported that only 14 % of college athletes obtained analgesics after consulting a physician.…”

“…Individual studies indicate that youth athletes regularly use analgesics. [4][5][6][7][8] While analgesics may be used safely and effectively as part of a multimodal treatment plan to manage sports-related pain and injury, 3 high or long-term use is associated with an increased risk of adverse events. Use of NSAIDs in athletes has been associated with a five times higher incidence of adverse events including gastrointestinal bleeding, hematuria, and cardiovascular events.…”

What is the Effect of Paracetamol (Acetaminophen) Ingestion on Exercise Performance? Current Findings and Future Research Directions

“…However, paracetamol is not considered an NSAID, given that it only has weak antiinflammatory activity [3]. While paracetamol is consumed in the general population, studies also observed that this medication is used among athletes [5][6][7][8]. Athletes generally report using paracetamol to decrease pain from a previous exercise bout [9].…”