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Belief #4: "Chemicals can be used effectively to treat injuries and speed a return to action."

Many medications available today are capable of incredible effects on the body. Pain reducers, anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants and antibiotics can reduce symptoms and speed the healing process. Many athletes, coaches, and trainers expect medications to resolve problems due to injury and allow athletes to perform with minimal recovery time.

Research on the use of medications to treat injuries tells us the following:

• Recovery from injury requires time.
  
  
• Medications are effective in reducing pain and swelling and can be helpful in complementing a treatment process.
  
  
• Medications can mask pain due to injury, allowing an athlete to participate in a sport. Masking pain can result in more serious injury and damage due to re-injury. Medications to reduce pain may increase the risk of long term problems if the injuries do not heal completely before returning to competition.

The use of chemicals by athletes presents specific physical consequences. Some may be desirable, but many others are not. Care must be used in making any decision about the chemical use. It is important for athletes to consider the immediate effects of use as well as the long term consequences. In many cases, the long term consequences are not completely understood and therefore present unknown risks to an athlete.

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