Voltaren and racing

Chitts

Hi, I am doing a race in a few weeks time and expect the race will take me about 6 hours. In the last few races I started getting a very sore (muscular) lower back and neck after about 4 hours as most my training was 3.5 to 4 hours.
Is it safe to take voltaren, and if so, what quantity and at what stage should I take it (just before the race, or after "x" hours?)
If it helps relax the muscels, does it impact pedalling strength etc?

johncp

Voltaren or Voltarol is an anti-inflammatory, it doesn't relax your muscles, just acts as a pain killer. It can also be a bit harsh on the stomach so taking some mid-ride may leave you chucking up Its fairly long acting though so if you really want to give it a go you could take some before you start the ride. You're probably better off trying to prevent it before and during the ride with some stretches for your shoulders/lower back and maybe thinking about bike setup. Much better and safer in the long run

unclemalc

Voltarol is a prescription anti-inflammatory drug. I took it for years for bone/joint inflammation until it ate its way thru my stomach, inducing a sizable ulcer.
There are prescription anti-inflammatories now that have something in them to offset the stomach-eating side effects ( I take 'Arcoxia' now...) but avoid them like the plague if you are thinking that you should use them to prevent possible aches and pains from cycling unless you have a history of such symptoms from other causes of exertion.
If, after your riding, you suffer from such pain then check out all those factors in your riding style and/or your bike that might be potentially causing the pain over such a ride - don't just soldier on with a badly setup bike.
However, if you need relief from pain over a long ride then there is no harm taking Ibuprofen (and there are 400mg dose tabs available...) before or during and/or after the ride.
BUT and it's a big BUT, if you are experiencing lower back/neck pain, ( and you do not have inflamed joints otherwise) the first thing I would get checked is your riding position.