A 2011 study published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, a peer-reviewed, scientific journal found that 52 percent of the retired NFL players surveyed said they used prescription pain medication. Of those 71 percent admitted misusing the drugs during their playing days and percent said they obtained the pills from a source other than a physician: a teammate, coach, trainer, family member, dealer or the Internet. They also found that 7 percent of former players currently use or abuse opioid drugs to control long-term pain brought about by jarring injuries and collisions associated with football like morphine, Vicodin, codeine and oxycodone.
Toradol, a nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drug. Complications associated with Toradol include potential kidney failure, liver damage and gastrointestinal bleeding as well as an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Moreover, this drug inhibits platelet function, creating a danger of brain bleeding for players who suffer head injuries while the drug is in their system. According to the Food and Drug Administration, Toradol shouldn’t be used for longer than five days consecutively.
