Toradol, a potent non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) first received approval from the Food and Drug Administration in 1989. It was originally intended to help in the short-term management of moderately severe postoperative pain. Toradol entered the NFL realm in the mid- to late-1990s.

Benefits: While available in oral form, NFL players typically inject Toradol on game days, allowing the drug to immediately absorb into the bloodstream to speed up its effects. Toradol is non-narcotic, non-addictive and has few, if any, sedative effects.

Major Risks: Toradol should not to be used for more than five days in a row. It has a blood-thinning effect, increasing the risk of serious bleeding and is particularly dangerous for people vulnerable to head trauma because it increases the risk of brain bleeding.

Toradol also can cause gastrointestinal bleeding and kidney failure, and can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. It should not be used with other NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or naproxen.

Sources: The Food and Drug Administration, the United States National Library of Medicine and the Mayo Clinic