Can I take pain relievers before a workout to prevent aches and pains?

Can I take pain relievers before a workout to prevent aches and pains?

Jerry Pryde, MD, MPH, CIME (Clinical Chief, Department of Rehabilitation, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center) gives expert video advice on: Why is exercise so important?; How can exercise keep my blood pressure under control?; How will exercise improve my stamina and overall energy? and more...

Aches and pains during exercise is your body trying to tell you that there is something wrong there. You may be pushing too hard, you may have some structural problem that is causing you a problem in trying to accomplish that particular exercise. It is never a good idea to take a pain medicine or painkillers before you exercise. You need to know what's happening with your body, to be able to sense what is going on with your body, because if it continues or is getting worse, you want to be able to describe to a physician exactly what is happening when you're exercising. If you take pain medicine or painkillers, then it is going to mute your response, and you're not going to be able to experience or understand exactly what the pain you experience whilst exercising is because it will have changed from the pain medicine or painkiller. Never take a pain medicine or painkiller before you exercise, that includes Advil or Tylenol or Ibuprofen or any of the over the counter, and certainly not a prescribed medication.