Ibuprofen as a Treatment for Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders: Effectiveness versus Caveats

Abstract

Work-related upper limb disorders (WMSDs), also known as repetitive strain injuries, afect a large subsection of the US population. These disorders are a signiicant source of injury, morbidity, loss of work, and pain. We have developed a rat model of upper extremity repetitive work at high forces, and observed exposure-dependent increased inlammatory responses in all tissues involved in performing the task. A 2-to 8-week regimen of oral ibuprofen provided to rats while they continued to perform a highrepetition high-force task ameliorated these inlammatory responses as well as several motor declines. Ibuprofen treatment also atenuated task-induced tissue ibrosis, cartilage degeneration, and bone osteopenia, indicating their link to inlammatory processes. However, ibuprofen did not signiicantly atenuate persistent nocifensive pain behaviors (relexive grip strength results are presented) likely because of persistent increases in inlammatory cytokines in the spinal cord, suggestive of central sensitization. Since long-term ibuprofen use can induce a number of negative side efects, such as gastritis, multi-pronged approaches should be considered with anti-inlammatory drugs included for only short time periods.